The Cherry Child: Lassana Sarre’s Intimate Ode to Memory and Reclamation” By Artfrofest 

It was a deeply moving experience for us at Artfrofest to witness *L’enfant aux Cerises* (*The Child with Cherries*), Lassana Sarre’s debut solo exhibition at Paris’s Galerie Polaris. Running from **February 8 to March 15, 2025**, this collection is a poignant exploration of memory, identity, and the ghosts of colonial history. Sarre, a Paris-based artist born in 1994, invites viewers into a world where personal and collective narratives collide, offering a quiet yet urgent reclamation of erased voices. 

Unearthing Buried Histories

The exhibition’s title nods to Édouard Manet’s tragic 19th-century painting of the same name, which depicts a young model who later died by suicide. Sarre reimagines this reference, transforming it into a lens to examine his own heritage. His works are layered with stories from his family’s past—stories silenced by colonialism and censorship. Through shadowy figures and bold, unexpected colors, Sarre challenges the “rules” of traditional portraiture, instead crafting visual dialogues that question whose histories are preserved and whose are forgotten.  

Serenity Meets Subversion  

Sarre’s paintings are a study in contrasts. Serene, contemplative faces float against dynamic, almost restless backgrounds, creating a tension between stillness and motion. His precise brushwork and daring palette—think cobalt blues clashing with burnt oranges—evoke emotional depth, as if each stroke is a word in an unspoken story. The figures often feel suspended in time, their gazes piercing yet tender, urging viewers to look beyond the surface. As photographer Gordon Parks once said, “The truth of a man isn’t always written on his face,” and Sarre masterfully captures this complexity, using imagery to convey what words cannot.  

From Vitry-sur-Seine to Global Resonance

Growing up in Vitry-sur-Seine, Sarre’s artistic awakening began with the construction of the MACVAL contemporary art museum, a landmark that shaped his understanding of art’s power to provoke and preserve. His work is deeply rooted in the African diaspora experience, blending his family’s colonial-era memories with broader themes of identity and belonging. By recontextualizing Black figures within Eurocentric art traditions, Saar disrupts historical narratives, offering a space for marginalized stories to breathe.  

A Mirror to the Self and Society

Sarre’s art is not merely personal—it is political. Each portrait serves as a vessel for collective memory, interrogating how colonialism has shaped both individual and cultural identities. The recurring motif of duality reflects his internal dialogue, mirroring the fractured yet resilient nature of diasporic existence. His subjects, often sketched in shadows or bathed in surreal light, become symbols of resistance, their presence a quiet defiance against erasure.  

Why Does This Exhibition Matter?

At Artfrofest, we champion artists who confront historical silences with creativity and courage. Sarre’s work embodies this mission, bridging the intimate and the universal. His paintings are not just portraits; they are acts of reclamation, inviting viewers to engage with African diasporic narratives as vital threads in the global tapestry of art.  

 L’enfant aux Cerise is a testament to art’s power to heal and disrupt. Saar transforms personal grievance and historical weight into something luminous, proving that even the most buried stories can resurface with grace. For those seeking to understand the interplay of memory, identity, and resistance, this exhibition is an unmissable journey.  

 L’enfant aux Cerises runs from 8 February to 15 March 2025 at Galerie Polaris, Paris. Follow Artfrofest [@artfrofest] for insights into exhibitions that redefine art’s role in cultural reclamation.  

As an agency dedicated to amplifying African and diasporic voices, we celebrate artists like Lassana Sarre, whose work turns hidden histories into universal truths. Stay tuned for more features where art becomes a bridge between past and future.