photo exhibit

A wonderful event hosted by the city of Bamako every other year is the Rencontres de Bamako photography exhibit. Lucky us! Free cultural events! It opened a few weeks ago and runs for a month- til December 7th. Photographers from all over Africa and European and North American photographers who have taken pictures in Africa can show their work. Thomas and I attended the opening event at the Palais de la culture where free booze and nibblies were being served. Those attending were photographers themselves and expats. It seemed that there were very few locals. The following Monday I told my co-workers that I’d been to see some of the photo exhibits and asked them whether they planned to attend. “Pictures and photography is what you toubabous like! We don’t have time for that stuff!” I was slightly taken aback by the response and at the same time, I wasn’t at all surprised. That same week, we went to another event being held at the Centre de Formation de Photography which is located in a very residential part of our neighbourhood. Pictures were also being shown on a large screen outside of the centre and there was live music. This was such a great way to get ordinary Malians (and by ordinary, I mean those not involved in art and photography) to come out and see what was going on in the street near their homes. Along with the live music, came some incredible dancing- some of these steps would have put MJ to shame (may he RIP). Pretty soon the entire neighborhood was partying it up. If you can’t get people to the event, bring the event to the people….works every time!!