Docta's Vision: When Art and Academia Meet at Oxford

Created by Senegalese artist Amadou Lamine Ngom, known internationally as Docta, the mural brings global perspective into the everyday rhythm of student life. Its placement in the Student Center is intentional, ensuring that students encounter the work not as a destination, but as part of their daily experience—between classes, meetings and moments of connection.

Earlier this month, the Office of Student Involvement, Leadership & Transitions and Campus Life officially unveiled the mural, marking a continued investment in creating spaces that reflect both creativity and cultural dialogue. For organizers, the Student Center offered the ideal setting—an environment where ideas, identities and experiences naturally intersect.

A Mural With a Story

The mural itself tells a powerful story. Docta chose to center Mansa Abubakar II, the 14th-century Malian emperor who, legend holds, sailed to the Americas between 1311 and 1312, centuries before Columbus ever set sail. By choosing this figure as his subject, Docta does something radical: he positions Africa and Africans at the center of world history, where they belong. The artwork becomes a visual argument against the narratives that have long marginalized African and Diasporic achievements, celebrating the humanity and contributions of a people whose voices were silenced through centuries of subjugation.

But what makes his murals particularly special is how Docta creates them. The artist is environmentally conscious, deliberately choosing to work with recycled materials, including cashew burlap bags. In doing so, he raises awareness about the fragility of our planet while teaching a simple but deep lesson: we can create beauty and meaning from what we thought was discarded. We can save our world through small, meaningful actions.

"I hope they dig deeper into history and examine the connection between Africa and the United States," reflects Dr. Bamba Ndiaye, Assistant Professor of African Studies and Core Faculty at the Institute of African Studies. When asked what he hopes students will feel when they see the mural, he adds, "More importantly, I hope they continue to see the value of the humanities in shaping well-rounded global citizens."

The Journey to Oxford

The path to bringing Docta's work to Oxford wasn't a quick one. In the Fall of 2024, Docta was touring several college campuses across the United States, including Cornell University and Amherst College. Dr. Ndiaye seized this opportunity, inviting him to Emory University in concert with the Institute of African Studies and the Carlos Museum. Docta delivered a public talk on "Artivism," gave guest lectures at Oxford College, and painted the mural that would eventually find its home in our community.

Another Docta mural was initially displayed at the Carlos Museum for an entire year. But during conversations between the Oxford College Library team and Dr. Ndiaye, a new idea emerged: what if this artwork could live here, at Oxford, where it could inspire our students daily?

This wasn't just about displaying art. The Oxford community—working with Ellen Neufeld, Director of the Library, and other faculty and staff—began imagining what else was possible. Could they bring Docta back? Could students work directly with him? Could his presence on campus deepen their understanding of art as activism, of history as a living conversation?

The answer came through Lyceum funding. With support from multiple departments and careful planning, the vision became reality. In the Fall of 2025, Docta returned to Oxford for a week-long residency, not simply as a visiting artist, but as a teacher, mentor, and collaborator.

Art and Activism in the Classroom

What happened during that residency week transformed how students understood art. Docta didn't just display his work; he taught. He showed students his techniques, explained how he incorporates digital technology into his practice, and - most importantly - helped them understand art as a form of activism.

This is where Docta's story becomes even more significant. Beyond his renowned artistic talent, Docta belongs to Y’en a marre—translating to ‘Enough is Enough’—which is an influential activist group that since 2011 has used hip-hop culture (particularly graffiti and rap) as a weapon of protest against corruption, democratic backsliding, and bad governance. During the pandemic, he and his team used graffiti to teach about social distancing and recognizing COVID-19 symptoms. Graffiti, in this context, isn't vandalism. It's a tool for those without traditional platforms to demand justice, democracy, and better living conditions.

"Graffiti constitutes an integral part of a revolutionary art form built on dissent and the need to challenge established political authority," Dr. Ndiaye explains. "From this perspective, young people in Senegal and beyond have used graffiti and hip-hop to challenge the establishment, raise political awareness, and, at times, transmit messages for public wellness."

For Oxford students, this residency offered something most college students never experience until much later - if at all. They got to see how art and activism work together. They got to practice techniques with a master artist. They got to ask questions and have those questions taken seriously. Several students expressed genuine interest in interning with Docta in Dakar, Senegal, over the summer.

"It was really planning those different events, talking to the different faculty members, organizing everything and making sure that the different people we needed - that we were able to talk to the different people," Lackner says of his role in coordinating the residency. Multiple sessions were designed: a small workshop for art students to work with Docta on a smaller scale, classroom sessions, a French language session, and a full Lyceum event that brought the broader community together.

Why This Matters at Oxford

On a campus where class sizes cap at 25 students, where professors help you move in on your first day, and where you might tutor your dorm neighbor in statistics, the arrival of a world-renowned contemporary African artist is not labeled as merely nice, but rather, as essential.

Exposing Oxford students to the work and perspectives of contemporary African artists like Docta cultivates something vital: global citizens capable of critical thinking. Art offers more than aesthetic value; it opens pathways to diverse worldviews, philosophies, and histories that challenge narrow boundaries of geography, politics, or ideology. By engaging with contemporary African creativity, students sharpen their critical faculties, expand their cultural literacy, and learn to question dominant narratives.

This is the Oxford way. It's not enough to read about art history in a textbook or watch a documentary about activism. At Oxford, you get to stand in front of the mural itself. You get to talk with the artist. You get to learn techniques from someone who has used his gifts to change his community. You get to understand, viscerally and intellectually, that art isn't separate from life—it's woven into every important question we ask about justice, history, and who gets to tell our stories.

Building Partnerships, Creating Opportunities

What's perhaps most remarkable about this collaboration is how it came together. It required the Carlos Museum to graciously transport the first mural. It required Dr. Ndiaye's vision and connections. It required the Oxford Library to make their exhibit space available. It required faculty like Tasha Dobbin-Bennett to integrate the work into their teaching. It required administrators to secure funding. It required the Lyceum program to make the residency possible, and it required Jennifer Brown's dedicated work to make arrangements and coordinate logistics. It required everyone to communicate, check in, and continuously ask: what's missing? What else is needed?

"I think it can be hard when you're just doing an artist residency - you bring an artist somewhere and then you come up with different things to collaborate after the fact," Lackner notes. "But I think if you really involve people in collaborating right from the start, it makes for a stronger foundation."

This lesson extends beyond Oxford. For any institution hoping to meaningfully engage with artists and social activists, the formula is clear: involve faculty from the beginning. Form a good team. Have lots of meetings and check-ins. Think carefully about what you're trying to accomplish. Stay focused on learning. And remember that the goal isn't just to have an artist visit; it's to create lasting change in how your community thinks and engages with the world.

Dr. Ndiaye has already set his sights on the future.

That's not just a collaboration. That's Oxford at its best.