African Photography Encounters (french: Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie) is a biennial exhibition in

Bamako Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...

, held since 1994. The exhibition, featuring exhibits by contemporary

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n photographers, is spread over several Bamako cultural centers, including the National Museum, the

National Library A national library is a library established by a government as a country's preeminent repository of information. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, or significant wo ...

, the

Modibo Keïta Modibo Keïta (4 June 1915 – 16 May 1977) was the first President of Mali (1960–1968) and the Prime Minister of the Mali Federation. He espoused a form of African socialism. Youth Keïta was born in Bamako-Coura, a neighborhood of Ba ...

memorial, and the District Museum. The exhibition also features colloquia and film showings. The most recent biennial took place in 2017. It is jointly run by the government of Mali and the

Institut Français The Institut Français (French capitalization, Institut français; "French institute") is a French Établissements publics à caractère industriel et commercial, public industrial and commercial organization (EPIC). Started in 1907 by the Min ...

. It has exhibited work by

William Kentridge William Kentridge (born 28 April 1955) is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films, especially noted for a sequence of hand-drawn animated films he produced during the 1990s. The latter are constructed by ...

, Samuel Fosso, Pieter Hugo and

Zanele Muholi Zanele Muholi (born 19 July 1972) is a South African artist and visual activist working in photography, video, and installation. Muholi's work focuses on race, gender and sexuality with a body of work that dates back to the early 2000's, documen ...

2005 – 6th biennial

The 6th biennial took place in November and December 2005, with the theme of "Another World." The prizes awarded were: * The Seydou Keïta prize was awarded to Rana El Nemr (

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

) for her work on women in the Cairo subway. * The Coup de coeur Accor prize was awarded to

Mamadou Konaté Mamadou Konate (1897 in Kati, Mali - May 11, 1956 in Bamako) was a politician from Mali who served in the French National Assembly from 1946-1956.Jean Clauzel La France d'outre-mer ( 1930 - 1960 ): Témoignages - 2003 Page 318 "Mamadou Konaté m ...

(Mali) * The Prix AFAA-Afrique en Création was awarded to Fatoumata Diabaté * The European Union (Best Reporting Photographer) (Prix de l'Union Européenne) was awarded to Zohra Bensemra (

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

). * The Intergovernmental Agency of La Francophonie Award (Prix de l'Agence Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie du Meilleur Jeune) (AIF) was awarded to Ulrich-Rodney Mahoungou ( Republic of the Congo) * The Elan de l'Agence Française de Développement prize was awarded to Uche James-Iroha (

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

) * The Special Jury Prize awarded to

Mikhael Subotzky Mikhael Subotzky (born Cape Town, South Africa, 1981) is a South African artist based in Johannesburg. His installation, film, video and photographic work have been exhibited widely in museums and galleries, and received awards including the KLM ...

(

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

) The jury also honoured Ranjith Kally (South Africa) for his life's work.

2009 – 8th biennial

The biennial included work by Hassan Hajjaj. The Seydou Keita Prize for Best Photographic Creation was awarded to Uche Okpa-Iroha.

2011 – 9th biennial

The biennial included work by Philippe Bordas and Omar Victor Diop. The Seydo Keita award was given to Pieter Hugo.

2013

The biennial was cancelled because of security concerns.

2015 – 10th biennial

The 10th biennial took place from 31 October to 31 December 2015 and was themed Telling Time. It was directed by

Bisi Silva Bisi Silva (Olabisi Obafunke Silva) (29 May 1962 – 12 February 2019) was a Nigerian contemporary art curator based in Lagos. Biography Bisi Silva graduated with an MA in Visual Arts Administration: Curating and Commissioning Contemporary Ar ...

with associate curators Antawan I. Byrd and Yves Chatap. The biennial included work by Mimi Cherono Ng'ok, Moussa Kalapo (''La Métaphore du Temps'' (the metaphor of time)), Lebohang Kganye, Uche Okpa-Iroha, Nyani Quarmyne (a documentary report on Malian refugees in Mauritania), and Nassim Rouchiche (portraits of sub-Saharan migrants stuck in Algeria).

2017 – 11th biennial

The 11th biennial took place from 2 December 2017 to 31 January 2018.

2019 - 12th biennial

The 12th biennial took place from 30 November 2019 to the 31st of January 2020. The Artistic director was Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung with curatorial team including Kwasi Ohene-Ayeh, Aziza Harmel and Astrid Sokona Lepoultier. The biennial included work by Christian Nyampeta, Rahima Gambo Abraham Oghobase, Adeola Olagunju, Eric Gyamfi, and Bouchra Khalili The Seydou Keïta prize was awarded to Adéọlá Ọlágúnjú (

) for the best photographic creation at the 12th edition of Bamako Encounters

References

* This article began as a translation of the corresponding article in the French Wikipedia, accessed 26 December 2005.

Bibliography

* Bajorek, J. and E. Haney (2010), 'Eye on Bamako: Conversations on the African Photography Biennial', Theory, Culture and Society, 27 {{Authority control Bamako Malian culture Photography exhibitions Recurring events established in 1994 1994 in Mali Art festivals in Africa Photography in Mali