Born in Guinea and raised in Senegal West Africa, and currently a Leimert Park resident (Los Angeles), Aly Kourouma a.k.a. Timbuctu State is an artist and a fashion designer. His work focuses on the dialog between the esthetic of the so-called “primitive world” and its modern urban counterpart.

Borders - physical or mental- are a powerful illusion especially in modern Africa, where people commonly grow writing multiple alphabets and speaking numerous languages, but he believes that what could be seen as ground for confusion can turn into richness and complexity, and ultimately, into a tool for cultural reconciliation through the lens of art.

Cultural preservation is at the heart of his vision, and therefore, his work as an artist is to bring awareness to the “Presence” of our biological and cultural diversity so that, maybe, the richness of the human experience can be shared and be used as a tool for empowerment