Bamako's Beauts

The capital city of Mali is not much like our burg. Besides the obvious (it's in Africa), it's on a river, it's inland, and it's got a famous library. Like San Francisco, though, downtown Bamako is expensive, congested, and sounds irritating to commute through, so ultimately, we have plenty in common. At "Lens on Life: From Bamako to San Francisco," internationally renowned curator Simon Njami culls the work of 22 African photographers who participated in the 2005 Bamako Biennale, a wide-ranging photography exhibition. The show splits time between images of Africa, such as those found in the work of Nigeria's Akinbode Akinbiyi, and international visions of the U.S., like Gabonian Myriam Mihindou's photos of local women. As at the Mali biennale, part of the charm of the event is art being showcased at several venues: The African American Art and Culture Complex, the Women's Building, and City Hall host satellite exhibitions in addition to the main one at the museum.
May 18-Sept. 23, 2007