Merci Maman. Straßenfotografie in Mali
In the organizer's words:
Using contemporary street photography, Merci Maman invites you to immerse yourself in the colorful world of Bamako's sotramas. The brightly painted minibuses characterize the vibrant capital of Mali in West Africa like no other means of transport. Named after the Societé du Transport Mali, they embody a fascinating cultural phenomenon.
Artfully designed by bus painters, each Sotrama is unique and tells its own story. Paintings in rich colors reflect current trends and attitudes in Mali. Portraits of musicians, politicians and religious leaders adorn the vehicles, as do symbols and logos from pop, politics, sport and religion. Wisdom and messages of thanks (Merci Maman) can also be found on the car bodies.
The Sotramas form a kind of rolling art exhibition and street theater and act as a barometer for the local social mood. But they are also a meeting place where people can talk to each other and show solidarity.
At the heart of Merci Maman are around sixty photographs created especially for the exhibition by Seydou Camara, Monique Dena, Abdoul Karim Diallo, Sidiki Haidara and Anna N'Diaye. As members of the Malian photo collective Yamarou, they have been exploring this unique art form on wheels for years. However, their works not only show the painted buses in city traffic, but also their drivers and passengers.
The aim of the Yamarou collective, founded by Seydou Camara, is to bring photography directly into the community. The Yamarists see themselves as defenders of social cohesion. Their focus is on the dignity of those portrayed and the depiction of an unadulterated reality of life. They encourage young people to consciously perceive their surroundings and communicate through photography.
With this exhibition, the Museum Fünf Kontinente aims to support the Malian photo collective's vision of conveying a differentiated image of the West African country - seen through the lens of its own people.
Merci Maman was realized in close collaboration with the artist and journalist Jonathan Fischer, who lives in Munich and Mali.
This content has been machine translated.Price information:
All admission prices can be found on the museum's website.
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