By RFIPissed 30-11-2019Modified on 30-11-2019 at 13:20
The biggest event dedicated to photography in Africa - and one of the major cultural events on the continent - opened this Saturday in the Malian capital.
The Rencontres, which began in 1994, are also celebrating their 25th anniversary. Despite the jihadist threat and insecurity in the north of the country, the organizers have not revised their ambitions downward.
For this anniversary edition of the Rencontres de Bamako, the new artistic director, Bonaventure Ndikung, saw great with 85 artists in 12 exhibition venues, from the national museum to a girls' high school! This is twice as much as in previous years.
► Also to listen : Bonaventure Ndikung, a fresh look for the Rencontres de Bamako (invited Culture of RFI)
The Cameroonian curator, who lives in Berlin, chose as theme "Currents of Conscience". Because what interests Bonaventure Ndikung is " the circulation of ideas, but also of human beings, the circulation of forms, the fluidity of photography ".
The Bamako Encounters , led by a rejuvenated team from the private sector, are borderless. " We have invited artists from all over," says Bonaventure Ndikung, Artistic Director. We can not reduce Africa to a geographical area. For example, it was important to invite photographer Ketaki Sheth who has been working for years on Afro-Indians. The links between Africa and Asia date back at least to the fourth century. So I wanted to see the links between Africa and its diasporas .
In the exhibition areas, the clash lasted until the last minute to offer Mali a window on the world, which the country needs in these times of insecurity.
► To read also : Place for women photographers at the Bamako Meetings 2019
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