The fifteenth edition of the now-famous biennial of contemporary African Art, Dak’Art (November 7 to December 7, 2024), has succeeded in reconnecting art with the people of Dakar in all their diversity. With each edition, Dakar increasingly transforms into a museum-city, a global city where talent and creativity are showcased, thrive, and take center stage. Each visit to a gallery, a street, an esplanade, or a café unveils unique works of art and resonates with vibrations that portray an Africa in constant motion.

Dak’Art is one of the symbolic meeting places for talents from the African continent, its Diaspora, and the world. Each creation, whether a painting, a performance, or an installation, tells an original story. The themes explored by the artists delve into resilience, heritage, global challenges, and history, all the while adapting materials and techniques.

Titled “The Wake, l’Éveil, Xàll wi”, according to the event's artistic director, Salimata Diop:

Walking around Dakar during Dak’Art is an act of self-care, offering a unique emotional immersion, detaching yourself from gadgets and reading, looking, and listening, colors, striking forms, textures, and manifestos. While the artifacts are awe-inspiring, the conversations with artists and visitors turn every visit into a memorable encounter.

The editorial team of Global Africa wanted to share with its readers the exhilarating, surprising, and moving journey that the biennale represents. This visual thread seeks to capture those moments when art resonates deeply. These photographs, taken during the exploration of galleries and exhibitions, immortalize the intensity of the works and the finesse of their details, illuminated by the unique, singular light of Dakar, the city that serves as an accomplice to artists.