Welcome to Kawsara with Fallou Wadje

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

This week, our mic and lens are aimed at Harlem in New York City, by way of Dakar, Senegal. Artist, designer, and experiential creator, Fallou Wadje, whose practice spans mural work, set and scene decoration, tapestry, art installation, fashion and wardrobe styling, digital art, illustration, and full-scale event design shares how the streets of New York found her as a muse and vice versa. Her creative identity is rooted in Baayfall, a spiritual and cultural lineage of self-discovery and elevation passed down from her great-grandfather, Maam Cheikh Ibrahima Fall and it shows up in her work as vibrant, healing-driven visual storytelling.

After moving to the U.S. in 2013 to pursue a graduate studies in finance, Fallou chose to heed her inner voice, which she believes is the guiding spirit of her ancestors. This calling led her to embrace her passion for art and fashion, inspiring her to create a beautiful language of expression through her work.
Her artistic vision manifests in everything she touches, transforming everyday experiences into art. Starting her journey as a street vendor with one table, she has grown her business to include six tables and operated her first storefront on 125th street in Harlem, where she sells custom hats, prints, airbrushed shirts, and African accessories.

The pandemic forced her to close her storefront and redesigned her home to a art studio of creativity and receiving clients until 2025.
This week, Fallou's new creative space, Kawsara (Source of Greatness), will host its first open house showcasing both her studio and a welcoming environment for those interested in her art. As a talented fashion designer and Harlem artist, continues to bridge the physical with the otherworldly through her unforgettable works. Check out our tour of her studio on YouTube in the coming weeks!

Where to find Fallou?
At her Kasarwa Open House Saturday, November 7th
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Artsy
On Facebook

What’s Fallou reading?
The Prophet Moses

What’s Fallou listening to?
Isaia Huron

Other topics of interest:
Senegal, the land of Teranga
What’s an Outdooring in Ghana?
More about Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill in New York City
About Amadou Bamba, founder of the Mouride brotherhood
About Fallou’s great grand-father, Maam Cheikh Ibrahima Fall
Jordan Casteel’s The BaayFalls on the High Line
When is World Children’s Day
About Iesha Sekou and Street Corner Resources