Colonial history, curatorial practice and cross-cultural conflict at the Bamako Biennial of African photography (1994--2007).

摘要

This thesis discusses the Rencontres de la Photographie Africaine also known as the Bamako Biennial in the context of colonial history, contemporary art and Bamako, Mali. By analyzing the catalogue essays to the past seven Biennials, I explore the roles of Primitivism and contemporaneity in the discourse surrounding African photography at this event. I also consider the role of the catalogues' formats in asserting the fine art status of the Biennial and the African photography on view. My treatment of the Biennial's impact within Bamako addresses Malian desire for autonomy, the divergent aesthetic values between the local community and the Biennial and the detrimental results of the Biennial's top down approach to management for a local artist-run center in Bamako.