Alida Ymele sensitively explores the often overlooked world of domestic women. She deeply questions their invisibility in society. Through a unique artistic technique mixing acrylic paint, Posca, sometimes Indian ink and canvas, Alida gives her models a strength and power contrasting with their often underestimated status. Its intention is to raise public awareness of the vital importance of these women in our society.
The stripes, present in the background or on the faces, challenge and question. From the "Ghana must go" bags evoking the painful exodus of two million Ghanaian immigrants, expelled from Nigeria in the 1980s, these lines weave like a labyrinth the complex stories and individual struggles of these courageous women, thus forming a memory collective not to be forgotten.
The warm colors used by the artist symbolize the power, strength and energy of these women, while the gray of their faces transcends notions of race through color to highlight their universal humanity. Through theatrical productions, Alida chooses her models carefully, sometimes slipping into the role of a servant herself to better understand the reality of their daily life, without ever betraying or ridiculing them. Her works, produced in acrylic on canvas, demonstrate a meticulously crafted artistic approach, offering an authentic and respectful representation of these women whose destiny is often unknown.