10th Bamako Encounters African Biennale of Photography curated by Bisi Silva, Yves Chatap and Antawan I. Byrd is calling for 1,384 image submissions for a special project.

DEADLINE: October 31st, 2015

What is the role of the image, today, in documenting or communicating social experience and political change? In considering this question for the 10th edition of the biennale the curators will construct and present a dynamic public archive or image repository attesting to how Malians, Africans, and the broader global citizenry have used images to document forms of social or political changes in their lives, as well as images that offer alternative representations of everyday life experiences. In the end, what do we want to visually retain about recent histories, from an individual or collective perspective? The project aims to construct a photographic memory of a world caught in the flow of images.

In 2012 the sovereignty of Mali was threatened not only by rebel nationalists but also by jihadist groups. Taking these upheavals as a starting point, the curators are soliciting amateur and professional images taken between January 16, 2012 and October 31st, 2015. This period forms a chronological span of 1,384 days, or 33,192 hours, or 1,991,520 minutes, or 119,491,200 seconds. These calculations represent the temporal width between two events – the beginning of the insurgency and the beginning of the 10th edition of the biennale. What form might this span of time assume through visual representation?

In addition, we are also accepting images that respond, directly or indirectly, to other major sociopolitical and environmental events on the continent such as the Ebola epidemic, the revolution in Burkina Faso, recent forms of violent religious extremism, and other major events throughout the world occurring during this temporal span.

WHO CAN ENTER?

The project is open to ALL photographers (amateur and professional), and collectives from anywhere in the world. All submitted images must be original work and photographic or lens based.

PRESENTATION

The selected images will be presented for the duration of the biennale from October 31 – December 31, 2015 in a special exhibition included in the official 10th Bamako Encounters programme. In addition, the biennale’s website will also feature a compilation of images that will circulate across social media platforms and form the basis of a virtual archive that will endure beyond the end of the biennale.

IMAGE ENTRY / HOW MANY IMAGES CAN I SUBMIT?

Individual submissions are limited to 2 images, collectives are limited to 5 images. All submissions must be sent to collectingimages@rencontres-bamako.com with the following details provided in the body of  the e-mail:

– Place Taken

– Artist/Photographer’s Name

– Country of Origin

– Exact Date of Work, e.g., 3 July 2012 (note: images will not be published without the exact date)

– Short description of each image (maximum of 50 words)

IMAGE QUALITY / LABEL

1. All images must have a resolution of 300dpi and should be no larger than 1200 x 1800 pixels (4×6 inches).

2. Each image must be labeled with the photographer’s name, date, and location in which the image was taken, for example:

“john_doe_4_3_2014_bamako.jpg” or “jane_doe_5_13_2015_krakow.jpg”

CONDITIONS

In submitting images, participants agree to the following terms and conditions:

1. Submitter agrees

a) that he/she is the original producer/owner of the visual material
submitted; and that they are authorized to use the photographic
material submitted.

b) that the submitted photographic material does not contain
elements under copyright by a third party or other parties.

c) that the submitted photographic material is not counterfeit, stolen, or fraudulent.

2. The 10th Bamako Rencontres may use selected photographs and artist name in advertising and publicity material without compensation.

3. The 10th Bamako Rencontres is free to refuse imagery/submissions that do not adhere to the abovementioned entry requirements.

4. The final selection of one image per day will be made by the curators whose decision is final.

For more information email: collectingimages@rencontres-bamako.com

www.rencontres-bamako.com