Youssoupha Féhé Sarr on Orality, Time, and the Living Archive
In an essay for Afterall, Youssoupha Féhé Sarr challenges the Western linear conception of the archive as a static repository of the past, arguing instead for a cyclical, oral-based model that embraces forgetting and perpetual renewal. Drawing on the philosophy of Mamoussé Diagne and the Serer Ndut initiation tradition, Sarr proposes that true archiving is not about freezing time but about producing the 'memorable' through dramatisation, translation, and itinerancy. He critiques museums and institutions as sites that immobilise knowledge, contrasting them with performative practices that keep meaning fluid. The text, translated from French by Adeena Mey, was published on 14 October 2021 and is part of Afterall's ongoing exploration of art and decolonisation.
Key facts
- Essay published by Afterall on 14 October 2021.
- Written by Youssoupha Féhé Sarr, translated from French (Senegal) by Adeena Mey.
- Critiques linear Western concept of time and archive.
- Proposes cyclical, oral-based model of archiving.
- References Mamoussé Diagne's 'Critique of Oral Reason'.
- Uses Serer Ndut initiation as example of non-static institution.
- Advocates for dramatisation and translation as archival methods.
- Contrasts museum's immobilising function with performative fluidity.
Entities
Artists
- Youssoupha Féhé Sarr
- Adeena Mey
- Mamoussé Diagne
- Jack Goody
- Bénédicte Savoy
- Felwine Sarr
- Ayi Kwei Armah
- Henri Meschonnic
Institutions
- Afterall
Locations
- Senegal
- France
- Paris
- Niamey
- Dakar
- Popenguine
Sources
- Afterall —