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Memories and beauty captured in Africa

17 January 2018

Memory is among the themes featuring at the African Biennale of Photography in Mali's capital, Bamako:

Miss Azania - Exile is Waiting is the work of South African artist Athi-Patra Ruga, who uses myth and alternative identities "as a contemporary response to the post-apartheid era".

Athi-Patra Ruga Athi-Patra Ruga - Miss Azania - Exile is waiting - 2015 - #1 — Miss Azania - Exile is Waiting is the work of South African artist Athi-Patra Ruga, who uses myth and alternative identities "as a contemporary response to the post-apartheid era".

The only Malian to be included in the collection, Fototala King Massassy, puts this down to generations of Malian photographers "tending to fall back on tradition".

Fototala King Massassy Fototala King Massassy - Anarchie Productive - 2017 - #9 - 50cmx70cm — The only Malian to be included in the collection, Fototala King Massassy, puts this down to generations of Malian photographers "tending to fall back on tradition".

Stranger in a Familiar Land is the work of Uganda's Sarah Waiswa, who says she left a job in the corporate world to follow her passion for "creating visual poetry".

Sarah Waiswa Sarah Waiswa - Stranger in a Familiar Land - 2016 - #8 - 80cmx80cm — Stranger in a Familiar Land is the work of Uganda's Sarah Waiswa, who says she left a job in the corporate world to follow her passion for "creating visual poetry".

"The beautiful, the ugly and all that is in between" are what 27-year-old self-taught photographer Girma Berta says he tries to capture in his work.

Girma Berta Girma Berta - Moving Shadows II - 2016-2017 - #2 - 40cmx40cm — "The beautiful, the ugly and all that is in between" are what 27-year-old self-taught photographer Girma Berta says he tries to capture in his work.

When will an African lead The Vatican? Cameroon's Samuel Fosso confronts the politics of religion with his Black Pope series.

Samuel Fosso Samuel Fosso - #25568 - Black Pope Series - 2017 - #1 — When will an African lead The Vatican? Cameroon's Samuel Fosso confronts the politics of religion with his Black Pope series.

In Edson Chagas' Found Not Taken series, discarded items are picked up and moved to a different location, suggesting that what appears to be reality is in fact a construct.

Edson Chagas Edson Chagas - Found Not Taken, Luanda, Series Found Not Taken - 2008-en cours — In Edson Chagas' Found Not Taken series, discarded items are picked up and moved to a different location, suggesting that what appears to be reality is in fact a construct.

Taken in 1971, this photo of a shop assistant in Accra by James Barnor shows his signature observation of style, during a career which took him from Ghana to London.

James Barnor James Barnor - Une Assistante de la boutique Sick-Hagemeyer - 1971 — Taken in 1971, this photo of a shop assistant in Accra by James Barnor shows his signature observation of style, during a career which took him from Ghana to London.

Education is Forbidden, a series by Rahima Gambo, considers how schoolchildren in northern Nigeria are coping as Islamist militants violate "neutral safe spaces where knowledge is transferred to students".

Rahima Gambo Rahima Gambo - Education is Forbidden - 2017 - #9 - 65cmx100cm — Education is Forbidden, a series by Rahima Gambo, considers how schoolchildren in northern Nigeria are coping as Islamist militants violate "neutral safe spaces where knowledge is transferred to students".

Madagascar's combat sport moraigny, in which one's opponent is viewed not as an enemy but as a partner to build oneself up, is the subject of Christian Sanna's piece.

Christian Sanna Christian Sanna - Moraigny - 2014-2016 - #14 - 40cmx40cm — Madagascar's combat sport moraigny, in which one's opponent is viewed not as an enemy but as a partner to build oneself up, is the subject of Christian Sanna's piece.

After the 2016 terror attack on the Grand Bassam beach resort in Ivory Coast, Joana Choumali wanted to document the "melancholy" she witnessed in a place which she had always associated with happy memories. "Ça va aller" (It'll be OK) reflects her view that Ivorians "do not discuss their psychological issues", making it harder to heal trauma.

Joana Choumali Joana Choumali - Ã§a va aller... - 2016 - #20 - 24cmx24cm — After the 2016 terror attack on the Grand Bassam beach resort in Ivory Coast, Joana Choumali wanted to document the "melancholy" she witnessed in a place which she had always associated with happy memories. "Ça va aller" (It'll be OK) reflects her view that Ivorians "do not discuss their psychological issues", making it harder to heal trauma.

In West of Life, the "discord between people and nature" is balanced against Zied Ben Romdhane's wish to honour the "humour of the inhabitants and my affection for them". The collection depicts life in Tunisia's poor mining villages, which are "rich in resources but marginalised by the government".

Zied Ben Romdhane Zied Ben Romdhane - West of Life - 2014-2016 - #3 - 40cmx60cm — In West of Life, the "discord between people and nature" is balanced against Zied Ben Romdhane's wish to honour the "humour of the inhabitants and my affection for them". The collection depicts life in Tunisia's poor mining villages, which are "rich in resources but marginalised by the government".

One of a series of photos taken whilst riding a taxi in Dakar, "Le peuple du mur" (The Wall People) captures isolated moments of calm in Senegal's bustling capital.

Mame-Diarra Niang Mame-Diarra Niang - Le peuple du mur #6 - Series At the Wall - 2014 — One of a series of photos taken whilst riding a taxi in Dakar, "Le peuple du mur" (The Wall People) captures isolated moments of calm in Senegal's bustling capital.

A post-apocalyptic African city is seen through a boy's eyes in "Kitchwali" (TV Head) by Bob Muchiri Njenga. This still is taken from the Kenyan artist's experimental short film of the same title.

Bob Muchiri Njenga Bob Muchiri Njenga- Kichwateli - 2011 - #10 — A post-apocalyptic African city is seen through a boy's eyes in "Kitchwali" (TV Head) by Bob Muchiri Njenga. This still is taken from the Kenyan artist's experimental short film of the same title.

Everyday scenes of "queer life" in Ghana are at the heart of Eric Gyamfi's series Just Like Us.

Eric Gyamfi Eric Gyamfi - Just Like Us - 2016 - #16 - 30cmx40cm — Everyday scenes of "queer life" in Ghana are at the heart of Eric Gyamfi's series Just Like Us.

The wanderer, the stranger and the migrant underpin Dawit L Petros's series, The Stranger's Notebook. The Eritrean artist undertook a year-long journey from Nigeria to Morocco through to Europe, creating and capturing the multidisciplinary project along the way.

Dawit L Petros Dawit L Petros - Untitled (Prologue II) - Series Stranger's Notebook - 2016 — The wanderer, the stranger and the migrant underpin Dawit L Petros's series, The Stranger's Notebook. The Eritrean artist undertook a year-long journey from Nigeria to Morocco through to Europe, creating and capturing the multidisciplinary project along the way.

Rencontres de Bamako is jointly run by Mali's government and the Institut Francais and works are on display until 31 January 2018.