The artists: Moussa Sambalaye DIOP
We met Sambalaye DIOP (his artist name) in his workshop in the Arts Village in Dakar. He has studied fine arts in Dakar and Paris, where he also taught visual arts for 13 years.
A view of his workshop.
This artist of international reputation has already collaborated in earlier activities of the Mundus maris Initiative, notably by teaching the pupils of the CEM Kayar in his workshop in the Arts Village (for a recent example see the workshop on climate change scenarios and fisheries).
In the following you see three recent works. See also a his short comments (video).
1. The caves.
2. The blue of Samba
3. 
A blink on Seeva DIOP
Sambalaye DIOP is a Lebou and member of the extended family of the great Marabout of the fishers, Seydina LIMAMOULAYE. He told us the extra-ordinary relationship between the great marabout and the sea. It is being said that at the birth of Seydina LIMAMOULAYE the fishers noted that the sea off the coast of Yoff was not salty.
Hear and see how Sambalaye DIOP tells the story (video).
He also told us in a spirited manner about a freshwater well near the mausoleum of the great marabout, right next to the sea. This well is much used by the inhabitants of Yoff and the neighbourhood. Many of his works are in some way related to the sea and the marabout, who is claimed by the Lebou community as one of their spiritual leaders to this day.
Sambalaye DIOP tells the stories of his grandfather about the great marabout (video) of the Yoff fishers, Seydina LIMAMOULAYE. One symbolises the close relationship with the sea in a very special way - the marabout ordered the sea to retreat to leave space for the people to settle and it did.
The artist sees himself steeped in the Lebou culture and its special relationship with the sea, but also in the tradition of the great spiritual teacher and a sense of mercy, which pervades his art strongly.
He sees his implication in the Mare Nostrum Project of Mundus maris as an extension of the work already started in collaboration with Aliou SALL with the secondary school (CEM) in Kayar.