Good night and peace from Dakar – photo 016
West Africa
#dakarproject
The chickens – photo 009
I love this photography which I took in Loumia, a rural area 80kms of N’djamena, Chad.
The chickens were going to be sold to the local market. I was offered few of them but it would have been unreasonable to bring them back with me to Dakar.
I admire the color of the fabric and most of all the life experience so pronounced through the hands.
#dakarproject
Mohamed – Photo 008
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Untitled – photo 007
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Through a door – Photo 006
I took this photo in a rural village South of Bamako – Mali. I love the idea of a door opening to a new world and in this case to an African village and its people.
#dakarproject
Photo 003 – Untitled
I have a lot of admiration for people who are able to nurture their passion for an entire life. I respect and envy the consistency of their love and dedication. My new friend is not the richest but he collects paintings and sculptures from various parts of West Africa with consistency and with a compromising ability to persuade his wife to allow him to do so. He doesn’t make big declaration on why he loves a piece instead it is about emotions usually a first impression. It is as simple as this. When I saw this piece earlier today, I felt very jealous because I will not see it every day… It talked to me vividly and I don’t have the ability to capture my sentiments for it with words. Why should I anyway?
Sinthiane
There is an Art in everything.
I thought about it this morning when I remembered the genuine and beautiful invitation received from Abdoulaye. The most striking aspect of this man is his smile, it is a constant part of his face, something immutable. I met him a week ago during a flash visit to Nouakchott. As soon as Abdoulaye realised my uncontrollable desire to discover Mauritania, he opened his arms and joyfully said: Sinthiane!
It was spontaneously beautiful and I felt already welcomed.
Sinthiane is the name of his native village. It means “new home”. A home in the south of the country near the Senegal river.
Timbuktu (Mali), Gao (Mali), Atar (Mauritania) are legendary cities of the region which have inspired poems, conquests and myths but nowadays they are outreached. These anthological cities are more and more isolated due to wars and rebellions.
Abdoulaye’s invitation offers me some new opportunities of discovery. Like a great artist, he has laid before me a new canvas for my imagination and curiosity.
Soon, I will rejoice at my return to the desert and being welcomed by the smile of my new friend.
suspended words 