Following the end of the "Mbedd mi mdeddum buur la" artistic residency, it's now time to present the artworks of the artists who, for a month and a half after their selection, reflected on the theme of our curator Astou Sall.
The aim of the "Mbedd mi mdeddum buur la" artistic residency was to work with the artists on common issues, specific to us Africans, concerning our cities (see the curatorial note).
First of all, it was an opportunity to take stock of the many ills (incivilities, environmental disorder, pollution, lack of town planning or failure to comply with these rules, negligence on the part of the public authorities with a lack of vision and action) from Dakar to Nairobi via Lagos, Bamako...
Next, the artists were able to take an introspective look at our ancient cities, such as Meroe, Timbuktu and Djenne, to sketch out possible solutions, project themselves into the future and propose their ideal of the African city of tomorrow.
A pan African digital residence in tune with the time
Our residency shows that Africa is on the agenda, with 11 artists taking part, each using a different medium. Once again, as we initiated in 2020, our residence took place at a distance: borders and kilometres are no longer obstacles to working on common projects.
As part of our curation activities, we have organised group talks every Thursday to discuss, share, guide and advise our artists, leading them to reflect on the theme, answer their questions and see how their creations are progressing.
A WhatsApp group was set up from the start to communicate with each other, with regular calls and exchanges with artists for our curation activities.
We used all our digital platforms, websites, social networks and those of the artists to maintain regular communication about our project with posts about the artists and the project.
For the first time, the residence was both pan-African, with 7 different nationalities, and multilingual, with both French and English speakers (in addition to the national languages).
Another first in this 3rd residency is the presence of a majority of women artists; although this was not our initial intention, as women are less visible in the art world, some talented artists responded to this call for projects, and the quality of their applications made all the difference.
Another first is the 'phygital' aspect of the residency, as will be the exhibition, with the selection of visual artists from 'traditional' art (painters, visual artists, photographers) and artists working mainly in the digital world. As everyone will see, the dividing line between the two is rather artificial, especially as some artists produce work whose digital expression can be associated with an inseparable physical production.
A citizens' residence followed by an exhibition to raise public awarness
This residency is both artistic and civic, with the aim of raising awareness of urban issues. The artist is part of the city, a highly sensitive citizen who conveys strong messages through their artworks.
It's why we have organised walks with photographers through the streets of Dakar, showing the anarchic occupation, the concreting of our coasts at the heart of the Senegalese news, the lack of coherent architectural plans mixing old buildings and hyper-modern multi-storey buildings.
We have seen the disappearance of historic buildings such as the Sandaga Market and Le Dantec Hospital, among others, to make way for unlimited appetites for real estate and unbridled property development...
the occupation of streets and pavements by merchants restricting the free movement of people and vehicles, and their insalubrity as a result of both individual behaviour and government failures, which see the streets as open-air rubbish bins.
These observations were shared by each of the artists in their respective countries during our discussions.
During the exhibition, a programme of workshops combining training, debate, workshops and masterclasses will be organised to enhance the artists' skills and encourage exchanges between them and recognised professionals from the art world, as well as for the general public (see below), in partnership with 1mA Collective, I Love Senegal and the City of Dakar's cultural support fund:
From 18 May, you can admire the artists' original creations on site in Dakar. They will also be available online in our virtual showroom!
Vernissage : Saturday mai 18 - 18:00 (6 pm)
LOCATION : Mamelles, Ouakam (Espace d’Art Jëndalma Art & Design et Galerie Kaay Séenu)
Link to the Google map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XquRjSSiWwmptpyn7
You can support the artists by purchasing their works, which are available at Les Mamelles in our Espace d'Art and on our website www.jendalmart.com, as well as on recognised international platforms which will be announced in the next few days.
Follow us on our social networks to make sure you don't miss out on any of the events organised around the exhibition!
Text : Astou Sall, curator
Copyright photo: Wybgroup/jendalmart / Chùmá Anagbado (photo Lagos-Nigéria)