Munich, March 2025.
The special exhibition Merci Maman. Street photography in Mali is dedicated to the so-called sotramas of Bamako. Like no other means of transport, these brightly painted minibuses are the face of the vibrant capital of Mali. Named after the Societé du Transport Mali, which was founded in 1978, they are not only the most popular and cheapest means of transport in one of the most rapidly growing metropolises of Africa, but also the symbol of a fascinating cultural phenomenon.
Using contemporary street photography, Merci Maman invites you to look at the colourful world of the sotramas from a Malian perspective. The exhibition is based on approximately 60 works specially created for it by Seydou Camara, Monique Dena, Abdoul Karim Diallo, Sidiki Haidara and Anna N’Diaye. As members of the Yamarou Collective, they have been exploring this unique form of art on wheels for years.
Each sotrama bus is one of a kind and can be seen on closer inspection to tell a story of its own. Artistically created by bus painters, the bodywork is radiant with the national colours of red, yellow and green and sometimes also purple or blue.
The decoration painted in rich hues is a source of information about current trends in Mali: the vehicles feature portraits of historical figures, religious leaders and musicians as well as logos and symbols from the worlds of pop music, politics, sport and religion. In addition there are sayings, maxims and expressions of thanks (Merci Maman) on the buses that reflect the opinions and attitudes of the people in Mali.
At the same time the sotramas show which politicians are currently popular and which nations are considered friends. To a certain extent they function as a barometer of the local social mood.
However, the five members of the collective not only show the painted buses surrounded by markets and the hustle and bustle of the streets, but also focus on their drivers and passengers as well as the true stars of the sotramas: the ‘prentikè’ or bus boys, whose skill at selling tickets in the open door is legendary.
Another star of the scene is Drissa Konaté, the famous bus painter of Bamako, who says a great deal about Mali, the world and what it is to be human through his art.
In spite of the daily challenges, the sotramas encapsulate beauty, creativity and a sense of belonging. In the tiniest of spaces people meet, get talking and engender a spirit of solidarity.
The Yamarou photography collective encourages young people to take conscious note of their surroundings and communicate it through photography. Named after a legendary creator from Malian history, the collective founded by Seydou Camara pursues a philosophy of creative everyday life. In the heart of Bamako, the members work towards liberating photography from its elitist environment and bringing it directly into the community. ‘We want to take photography into places where there are neither galleries nor museums,’ explains Camara.
The collective upholds a vision of bringing art onto the streets and into people’s hearts through a kind of visual revolution. The Yamarists see themselves as defenders of social cohesiveness and agents of change. They focus on the dignity of those portrayed and the stark realities of everyday life.
Merci Maman is also far more than a presentation of painted buses, which like a mobile art exhibition or street theatre brighten up the often dismal cityscape of Bamako. With this exhibition the Museum Fünf Kontinente is endeavouring to support the Malian photography collective’s vision of communicating a differentiated picture of the West African country – as seen through the lens of its own population.
The exhibition was put together in close cooperation with the artist and journalist Jonathan Fischer, who lives in Munich and Mali.
Booklet about the exhibition
The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated booklet.
Events accompanying the special exhibition
Guided tours with curator Dr Stefan Eisenhofer will be held on the following Sundays at 11am: 15 June, 20 July, 3 August. On the following Sundays there will also be tours conducted by curator Jonathan Fischer at 11am: 25 May, 13 July, 28 September. As well as a talk by the artists on 18 May and a dialogue tour led by both curators on 19 October, both at 11am. Places are limited. Please register at kunstvermittlung@mfk-weltoffen.de.
These and more events accompanying the special exhibition can be found in the programme section.