For several weeks every two years, Dakar becomes one of the busiest places in the art world. Exhibitions open in galleries, museums, old colonial buildings and private homes. Artists from across Africa and the diaspora show paintings, sculptures, videos and installations. Curators and collectors fly in from Europe and America. This is Dak’Art, the Biennale of Contemporary African Art, and it has played a large part in putting African contemporary art on the global map.
Senegal's art and the first biennale
Senegal has a long history of supporting the arts. Its first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, was a poet who championed African culture and hosted the World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar in 1966. Dak’Art was launched in the early 1990s. It soon focused on contemporary visual art from Africa. The official programme includes an international exhibition chosen by curators, featuring artists from across the continent and the diaspora.
Alongside the official programme, the Off brings hundreds of independent exhibitions across Dakar, in studios, galleries, homes and public spaces. Many visitors say the Off is the most exciting part.
Prizes, careers and challenges
The biennale awards prizes to artists, recognising outstanding work. Many African artists have gained international attention through Dak’Art, finding galleries and collectors. The biennale has faced funding difficulties and postponements, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between biennales, Dakar’s galleries, art schools and studios keep the scene active. Dak’Art is part of a growing network of African art events, including fairs and biennales in other cities.
Each edition attracts artists, students, curators, journalists and collectors from many countries. Hotels, restaurants and local businesses in Dakar benefit from the influx of visitors.
Themes and local artists
Each biennale is organised around a theme chosen by its artistic director. Themes have addressed history, identity, politics and the future of the continent, giving artists a starting point for new work. Senegalese artists play a large part in the Off programme, opening their studios to visitors. For many of them, the biennale is the busiest and most important period of their working year.
Dak’Art began as a government-backed exhibition in one city. Its Off programme now turns half of Dakar into a gallery, with artists hanging work in their own living rooms.
