The Galerie Le Manège in Dakar is hosting an exhibition titled "Chambre 207" by French photographer Jean-Michel André. The exhibition, which runs from September 25 to October 31, 2026, is a personal and intimate journey for André, who revisits the traumatic event of his father's assassination in 1983. André was only seven years old when the incident occurred, and it had a profound impact on his life, leaving him with fragmented memories.
The exhibition is a quest to repair and reconstruct his memories, using photography as a tool to explore the past and present. André traveled to various locations, including Avignon, Arles, Corsica, Germany, and Senegal, to recreate the itinerary he could have taken with his father. The exhibition features a mix of contemporary photographs, archival documents, and family objects, which together create a narrative that goes beyond the traumatic event.
Senegal holds a special place in André's journey, as he spent part of his childhood there with his parents. He returned to the country to photograph familiar spaces, such as Saint-Louis, Yoff, and the Siné-Saloum. These photographs are not just landscapes but also an attempt to reconnect with his personal history. One of the photographs, taken in Dakar in 1980, shows André as a child with his father.
The exhibition takes a unique approach by avoiding the spectacular and instead opting for a subtle and intimate portrayal of the traumatic event. André questions the limits of image representation and how to convey the trauma without resorting to pathos. The exhibition features a collection of artifacts, including a watch that belonged to his father, suitcase keys, and a drawing he made for Father's Day.
The curator of the exhibition, Mohamed Amine Cissé, sees "Chambre 207" as a reflection on the capacity of art to transform a personal experience into a shared narrative. The exhibition is a coproduction with the Centre Méditerranéen de la photographie à Bastia and the musée de l'Hospice Comtesse de Lille. It has been presented in several photography exhibitions and is accompanied by a book of the same name, published by Actes Sud.
The book "Chambre 207" was awarded the Prix Nadar in 2024. The exhibition in Dakar invites visitors to enter André's world and experience his journey of healing and self-discovery. It encourages visitors to reflect on the power of art to transform personal experiences into universal stories.
The exhibition "Chambre 207" is a testament to the healing power of art and photography. Through his work, André shows that images can be used to convey complex emotions and experiences, and that the past can be revisited and reinterpreted through the lens of a camera.
Key points
- The exhibition "Chambre 207" by Jean-Michel André explores the themes of memory, loss, and healing through photography and artifacts.
- The exhibition is a personal journey for André, who revisits the traumatic event of his father's assassination in 1983.
- The exhibition runs from September 25 to October 31, 2026, at the Galerie Le Manège in Dakar, Senegal.
