Reviews

20 January 2020, Headed by Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung and featuring a curatorial team including Aziza Harmel, Astrid Sokona Lepoultier, and Kwasi Ohene-Ayeh; as well as artistic advisors Akinbode Akinbiyi and Seydou Camara; and scenographer Cheick Diallo, the 12th Bamako Encounters is one of the largest to date. The artist list is equally expansive, with 85 artists and collectives who reflect a truly global and complex African experience and culture. Bamako-based Malian writer Ousmane Diarra comments on the particularities of this edition.

22 January 2020, Siddhartha Mitter on the 12th Rencontres de Bamako.

9 December 2019, Weeks after a nationwide state of emergency is lifted, Mali’s capital hosts more than 85 artists from across Africa in 15 city-wide venues for its extensive festival by Tom Seymour.

11 October 2019, Taking in the Venice and Istanbul biennials back to back gives art lovers relief from the brash commercialism that rules so much of the art world by Melvyn Minnaar.

26 September 2019, The artist’s new film combines quirky personal symbolism, sci-fi tropes, and scenes from everyday life in a bizarre new world by Ben Davis.