Upon graduating in 1987, Abu Bakarr Mansaray settled in Freetown and immersed himself in practical science and engineering as a self-taught learner. Inspired by a traditional wire and iron technique common in central Africa, Mansaray transformed it into a futuristic art form, constructing elaborate machines that could manipulate fire, light, air, water, motion, and sound. His detailed preparatory drawings, executed in pencil, ballpoint pen, and crayons, are also considered independent artworks. The difficult economic, political, and social circumstances of war-torn Sierra Leone, where Mansaray lived, undoubtedly influenced his creativity. Despite leaving the country in 1998 and spending years in the Netherlands, his art continues to reflect the traumatic impact of war. Mansaray's work has been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and the 56th Venice Biennale.