By John Owoo
(In Ouagadougou – Burkina Faso)
The 12th edition of Bamako Encounters, an African Photography Biennial is scheduled to take place in the Malian capital Bamako from Saturday November 30, 2019 to Friday January 31, 2020.
A Malian delegation including it’s new General Delegate Lassana Igo Diarra made this known during a meeting with reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing FESPACO film festival in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou.
The Biennial, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, is organized around thematic exhibitions on contemporary photography and is held in various locations in Bamako including the National Museum of Mali, National Library, Modibo Keita Memorial and the District Museum.
Seminars, workshops, lectures and film screenings equally take place alongside the exhibitions during the biennial, which has served as a catalyst for creativity resulting in many photographers on the continent gaining international acclaim.
Easily the first event dedicated to African Photography, it has become one of the most followed events on the world cultural stage where talents are tapped and works by great masters are admired, discussed and analyzed.
A genuine platform for discoveries, exchanges and visibility, Bamako Encounters is an essential venue for the advancement and promotion of African photographers alongside meetings with professionals from various parts of the world.
Managed by the African House of Photography and co-produced by the Institut Français, Galerie Médina and the Ministry of Culture of Mali, the biennial attracts over 30,000 visitors to exhibitions in Bamako, while 100 to 200 photographers are exhibited and invited to be part of the event during the professional week.
Diarra is the founder and director of Galerie Médina, a contemporary art space in Bamako. In 2018 he published “In the Heart of Bamako”, a rich and imaginative book on contemporary African creativity. With a number of arts initiatives in Bamako under his sleeve, his curatorial work has been internationally recognized.
Institut Français, Royal Air Maroc, African House of Photography, Conservatoire Balla Fasake Kouyate, Palais de la Culture Amadou Hampate Ba, CICB, INA, Mémorial Modibo Keïta, CNPM, Reseau Kya Culturel, Photo Art Mali, ASAMSA, European Union, Stichting Doen, Galerie Médina and others will be supporting the biennial.
Photos – Bamako Encounters
