#1 Districts and Memories: Niayes Thiokers, a place of knowledge
Conversation with Melinda Fourn (artist), Annie Jouga (architect) and Vydia Tamby (cultural advisor to the Mayor of Dakar & editorial manager, Editions Vives Voix). Moderated by Pape Samba Kane (writer and journalist)
Event date: February 13th, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Join us on February 13th at 6:30pm at Selebe Yoon for the conversation “Quartiers et mémoires: Niayes Thiokers, lieu de savoirs” (Districts and Memories: Niayes Thiokers, a place of knowledge). Moderated by Pape Samba Kane (writer and journalist), this conversation will bring together Mélinda Fourn (artist), Annie Jouga (architect), and Vydia Tamby (Éditions Vives Voix) for a collective reflection on the memory of the city of Dakar through emblematic spaces struggling for their survival, and the place of artistic missions working to safeguard the memory of these places.
The Niayes Thiokers district, a fragile area in danger of disappearing on the edge of the city center, is home to places with a wealth of knowledge, such as the Cour des Orfèvres, a place dedicated to crafts, and the ironwork workshop of artist and designer Bassirou Wade. We'll discover how these places have become catalysts for knowledge and practice, shaped by the individuals who chose them as the location for their workshops, playing a decisive role in the development of society. With the establishment of homogenizing urban developments comes the question of preserving the memory of places and the city. How does the city relate to creativity? How can we safeguard spaces where know-how is passed on? What place do spaces dedicated to creativity and crafts have in relation to habitat?
On February 15 at 4pm, we propose an immersive itinerary through the Niayes Thiokers district, discovering Bassirou Wade's workshop and the Cour des Orfèvres, in the company of artist Mélinda Fourn. The meeting point will be at the Immeuble Kébé (Dakar Plateau).
About this program:
The “Quartiers et mémoires” (Districts & Memories) cycle of conversations and encounters aims to evoke and highlight independent places, inhabited by artists-artisans individuals who have woven stories with those around them. Whether these spaces are recognized, neglected or destroyed, we aim to understand their crucial role as spaces for social gathering, creation and the definition of new aesthetics, both in history and in our contemporary times.
Participants
Melinda Fourn
Mélinda Fourn is a French-Beninese artist. After studying at the Beaux-Arts in Paris and an exchange program at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, she settled in West Africa, between Senegal and Ghana. From sculpture, photography and poetic writing to multimedia installations, she is interested in West African craft skills such as weaving, braiding, ceramics, jewelry and metalwork. By documenting ancestral manufacturing techniques in various workshops, she puts herself to the test of learning from artisans, reacting in her own way against the risk of disappearance of a heritage threatened by industrialization and the massive import of products. This craft heritage is deeply rooted in the social and urban fabric that interests the artist.
Annie Jouga
Annie Jouga (born in 1953 in Dakar) is an architect DPLG (graduated by the government) since 1978 from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-la Villette (France).
She was Deputy Mayor of Gorée from 2002 to 2022, Elected Councilor of the City of Dakar from 2014 to 2022, and President of the Urban Mobility and Infrastructure Commission. Today, she is the administrator of the University College of Architecture in Dakar, which she created in 2008 with two fellow architects, in which she raises awareness about Urban and Architectural Heritage among students of heritage. Throughout her career, she worked towards the quality of the city and its architecture, the seacosts, and the sidewalks of the city, amongst other things.
Vydia Tamby
Vydia Tamby is an influential figure on the Senegalese cultural scene, holding the position of Cultural Advisor to the Mayor of Dakar and acting as editor at Éditions Vives Voix, a publishing house she co-founded in 2009 with Ghaël Samb Sall. With an advanced degree in publishing from France, she is committed to promoting African culture and literature through publications that combine aesthetics and literary quality, as evidenced by their first work, *Dakar Émoi*. Under her impetus, Vives Voix strives to preserve and enhance the cultural heritage of Senegal and the African continent, providing a platform for artists and authors to create collective works. Vydia Tamby is also a consultant in cultural project engineering and a founding member of the Capitales Africaines de la Culture, as well as Secretary General of Africapitales. In response to the urgent need to preserve African memories, she also initiated the African Archives Fund, dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the continent's cultural archives. Through her actions, Vydia Tamby makes a significant contribution to cultural dynamics and knowledge archiving in Africa, building bridges between generations and artistic disciplines.
Pape Samba Kane
Pape Samba Kane, also known as PSK, is a Senegalese journalist renowned for his outstanding contribution to his country's media landscape. Introduced to journalism in 1981 at Le Politicien, a satirical publication founded by Mame Less Dia, he quickly distinguished himself as a significant figure in the industry. In 1987, together with dissident colleagues, he co-founded Le Cafard libéré, a satirical weekly that revolutionized journalism in Africa by bringing a fresh professional approach and drawing inspiration from the Canard enchaîné model. PSK excels as an editorialist, not least thanks to his famous “Profil” column, in which he paints portraits of public figures that have made him an indispensable figure in the field. Although his early career took him into artistic circles, working in film and dabbling in various art forms, he eventually focused on political analysis, motivated by the complexity of human interaction in this field. Today, he is regarded as a sought-after expert in political news, having successfully navigated his passion for politics and his interest in the characters that populate it.
Encounters
Bassirou Wade
Bassirou Wade is an artist and designer born in Kaolack, Senegal. He attended primary school in Dakar, where he began an apprenticeship at an early age in metalworking, carpentry, upholstery and mechanical workshops. He set up his own workshop in Niayes Thiokers, specializing in art-design for marginalized groups. At a time when the city of Dakar is becoming less and less accessible for people with reduced mobility, Wade is rapidly innovating adapted transport solutions, including three-wheeled motorcycles for the disabled. Bassirou Wade has been involved in numerous artistic projects in Senegal, and has participated in the production of many works by artists on the Dakar scene. His work has been presented in several exhibitions, notably in the “Design” section of the 2024 Dakar Biennial organized by Ousmane Mbaye, and at the Saint-Etienne International Design Biennial in France. He also produces works for specific commissions for public spaces.
Photo credit: Melinda Fourn
Kalidou Thiam
Kalidou Thiam is an artisan jeweler at the cour des orfèvres (previously known as the cour des maures), located on avenue Blaise Diagne, behind the Sandaga market in downtown Dakar. The cour des orfèvres dates back to colonial times, and was one of the first courtyards dedicated to handicrafts. Before the Senegalese-Mauritanian conflict in 1989, many Mauritanian and Senegalese goldsmiths worked in this place. Born in this courtyard and heir to a family tradition, Kalidou Thiam is now struggling for the market's economic survival.
