Dakar, Nov 15 (APS) – The Head of State, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, visited, this Friday, the international exhibition (In) of the 15th Biennale of Contemporary African Art in Dakar (Dak’Art) which continues until December 7, noted the APS.
After the official opening ceremony that he chaired, Thursday, November 7, at the Grand Théâtre National, the President of the Republic came this afternoon to see the works of the 58 artists selected in the ”In”.
On his arrival, he was welcomed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Historical Heritage, Bakary Sarr, the secretary general of the biennial, Marième Ba, and the artistic director, Salimata Diop.
For more than an hour, the Head of State toured the different spaces set up for the occasion, notably the collectors’ exhibition on the first floor, the design section, before continuing his visit and seeing the works of the different artists.
President Faye also went to the tribute area where he was welcomed by visual artist Anta Germaine Gaye.
He carefully followed the explanations given by the artistic director and the two exhibition curators, Kalidou Kassé and Ousmane Mbaye.
He also saw the works of award-winning artists, notably that of Dior Thiam, Prix de Cedeao and the Grand Prix Léopold Sédar Senghor, Martinique’s Agnès Brezephin.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye did not speak at the end of his visit, but insisted on receiving a gift from the biennial consisting of catalogs from this edition and a poster, among other things.
Bacary Sarr welcomed this visit by the Head of State which, he said, is “a great honor”.
”It is quite an honor to make the visit with the Head of State. Throughout the journey, we saw all the interest that the President of the Republic gave to this artistic work which was done in general, the works, the format, the itinerary, etc.,” he welcomed. Mr. Sarr.
He believes that this visit is a way of “enhancing” the event. “But this will help to better establish the prestige of the biennial,” he added.
For Salimata Diop, this trip by the President of the Republic is “a symbol, a recognition”.
”It went well. The president said he was happy with this visit. Which made us and our teams very happy, especially in this context where he is very busy, he wanted to come and see the work that was done to congratulate us,” she said.
