African Photography Encounters (), more commonly known as Bamako Encounters, is a biennial exhibition in

Bamako Bamako is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2022 population of 4,227,569. It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys in the southwestern part of the country. Bamak ...

Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...

, held since 1994. It is the first and largest African photography biennial. The exhibition, featuring exhibits by contemporary

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

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

National Museum A national museum can be a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In the United States, most nati ...

, the

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

, the Modibo Keïta memorial, and the District Museum. The exhibition also features colloquia and film showings. 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 public industrial and commercial organization (EPIC). Started in 1907 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promoting French, francophone as ...

. 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. He is especially noted for a sequence of hand-drawn animated films he produced during the 1990s, constructed by filming ...

, Samuel Fosso, Pieter Hugo and

Zanele Muholi Zanele Muholi (born 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 2000s, documenting and ...

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 ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

) for her work on women in the Cairo subway. * The Coup de coeur Accor prize was awarded to Mamadou Konaté (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 Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

). * 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 Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo), is a country located on the western coast of Central ...

) * The Elan de l'Agence Française de Développement prize was awarded to Uche James-Iroha (

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

) * 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. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

) 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 with associate curators Antawan I. Byrd and Yves Chatap. The biennial included work by Mallam Mudi Yahaya ''(For Crown And Country'') , 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

2024 -14th biennial

The biennial celebrates thirty years in 2024 with its 14th exhibition taking place from November 16, 2024 to January 16, 2025 under the theme “Kuma, La Parole” (Kuma, the Word). The artistic director is Lassana Igo Diarra accompanied by a curatorial team that includes Nadine Hounkpatin, Manthia Diawara, Soufiane Er-Rahoui, Oyindamola (Fakeye) Faithfull and Patrick Mudekereza. The thirty artists selected for the group exhibition titled ''La Panafricane'' are: * Victor Adewale (Nigeria) * Bernard Akoi-Jackson (Ghana) * Héla Ammar (Tunisia) * Nabil Boutros (Egypt) * Cédrick-Isham Calvados (Guadeloupe) * Caroline Déodat (France/Mauritius) * Jeannette Ehlers (Denmark/Trinidad and Tobago) * Willow Evann (France/Côte d’Ivoire) * Mounir Fatmi (Morocco) * Ismaël Mahamoudou Laouli Illa (Niger) * Arnold Tagne Fokam (Cameroon) * Zara Julius (South Africa) * Massow Ka (Senegal) * Kevin Kabambi (DR Congo) * Seyba Keita (Mali) * John Kalapo (Mali) * M’hammed Kilito (Morocco) * Cynthia R. Matonhodze (Zimbabwe) * Primo Mauridi (DR Congo) * Mariam Niaré (Mali) * Osakpolor Omoregie (Nigeria) * Amine Oulmakki (Morocco) * Marc Posso (Gabon) * Arilal Ophélia Ralamboson (Madagascar) * Nuno Silas (Mozambique) * Kanni Sissoko (Mali) * Yvon Ngassam (Cameroon) * Maheder Haileselassie Tadese (Ethiopia) * Dior Thiam (Germany/Senegal) * Sethembiso Zulu (South Africa)

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 Culture of Mali Photography exhibitions Recurring events established in 1994 1994 in Mali Art festivals in Africa Photography in Mali