In Ségou (Mali) I have discovered a surprising place , not mentionned in most guides : it is the
ESPACE BAJIDALA, a contemporary art center which is located just beside the old colonial area of Segou. It is not only an art center, they have also a guest house, as a bed and breakfast home.
They welcome artists and their friends for residencies or just a short stay. They have air-conditioned rooms with modern conveniences, decorated with African artistic works. They have also ventilated rooms at lower prices. They assure the evening meal also, and, Ousmane prepare malian specialties : you can eat typical malian food that you will never find in standard restaurants
In their art center, they present African contemporary art (a wide collection of works of Soly Cissé Sagna Bolli and others ...) .Artist have also the possibility to stay there in residence : visual arts, poetry, dance, music .... So you will meet there a lot of artist from Africa and from all over the world. For further information : see their web site
This place is really wonderful : it is located in an old village, just on the bank of the Niger; the buildings have been build in crude mud, and red "banco" (a mud mixed with karité butter), which is the signature of the architecture of Ségou.
Really
ESPACE BAJIDALA is a place you must not miss in Ségou
Francois
