ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Sculpted image of Thomas Sankara

Sculpted image of Thomas Sankara

Laongo: Where African sculptors etch memories, art on granite

byTosin Omoniyi
October 12, 2019
2 min read

Any tourist who visits Ouagadogou and fails to stop over at the Laongo Sculpture Symposium (Sculptures Sur Granite De Laongo) just a few kilometres from the capital of Burkina Faso, has certainly missed a crucial part of the tourist attractions, the West African nation boasts of.

Laongo is a haven for African sculptors.

There, they carve their artistic thoughts and impressions on natural material- granite.

Over 2000 sculpted works assail the visitor right from the entrance of the expansive grounds to its woody extension which is also a stone throw away.

The beautifully crafted works etched in stone overwhelm the senses, ranging from the spiritual, political, traditional roots, family life, history, culture and mundane art.

The tourist or art enthusiast is immediately enthralled moving from one imposing stonework to the other as each beckon with a unique message.

Haven

The granite sculptures were crafted by various African artists at this site popularly known as Laongo Sculpture Symposium, also referred to as an open-air museum.

The site was founded in 1989 by Burkinabe sculptor, Siriki Ky.

RelatedNews

In Death, Sankara Marches From Victory To Victory, By Owei Lakemfa

Former Burkina Faso President charged over Thomas Sankara’s murder

‘Chameleon’ film by Investigative journalist, Anas, screened in Ouagadogou

Why I’m shooting a feature on Thomas Sankara — Fabian Lojede

The ‘granite park’ covers roughly 100 hectares (247 acres) and hosts an annual gathering of artists, who usually leave their artistic impressions on the numerous grey-pink rocky slabs.

IMG_20190928_112802
IMG_20190928_112626
IMG_20190928_111301
IMG_20190928_112939

The spot is located 35 km from Ouagadougou, in the province of Oubritenga. Sculptors across the continent and beyond are permitted to create their unique works in-situ using granite from the site.

Some of the works combine local granite and other materials such as metal.

TEXEM AD

Records show that the first biennial artistic symposium opened January 13, 1989, gathering 18 sculptors from 13 countries.

The tenth edition took place in May 2012.

IMG_20190928_113031
IMG_20190928_112423
IMG_20190928_111753
IMG_20190928_112839

Carved faces of prominent African personalities, animals, cultural groups and icons fill the wooded area, interspersed by delicate vegetation.

The site has been popularly described by tourists as a ”picturesque place of large blocks of granite skilfully exploited by artists from all over Africa to express their know-how. It is also a good hiking route”.

‘International symposium of Laongo’

The site director, Nacoulma Theophile, said the International Symposium of Laongo, which hosts artists takes place every two years and is well attended.

ADVERTISEMENT

”Laongo is now international in nature, that is all the artists that visit are from all parts of the world,” he tells PREMIUM TIMES. ”But it has not been well exploited by some African countries. Nonetheless, today we have 2038 different works from different artists spread across the site. This does not include those that can be found at our extension which is just 500 metres away. The extension is about 39 acres and also has various works by various artists on its grounds.”

Sankara ‘lives on’

Perhaps, one granite work, that attracts tourists to the site on a daily basis is that of renowned ‘Pan-Africanist’, Thomas Sankara, who was installed as the president of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) in 1983 after a military coup.

IMG_20190928_113356
IMG_20190928_112730
IMG_20190928_111533

He held that position until October 15, 1987, when he was killed in a coup led by a colleague, Blaise Campaore and two others.

On the first anniversary of the coup that had brought him in, he changed the nation’s name from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, which means “land of upright people”.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (0)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Uber launches ‘boat taxis’ on Lagos waters

Next Post

Army kills 39 bandits in Zamfara- Official

Tosin Omoniyi

Tosin Omoniyi

Tosin Omoniyi is an assistant editor (Standards) with PREMIUM TIMES. He previously worked in different editorial capacities at Leadership, Daily Trust, Nigerian Newsworld and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, (ICIR). When not writing, he can be found honing his skills on stage as an actor. Twitter: @toskolo

More News

The Commercial space is as yet undeveloped within the airport departures area, two years after its opening.”

Reporter’s Diary: Abuja’s not so world-class new airport terminal

December 27, 2020
President Nana Akufo Addo and John Atta Mills

Dispatch From Accra: Ghanaians prepare to elect a president

December 6, 2020
Houses in Goma bordering Lake Kivu

TRAVELOGUE: Inside Goma: Dangerous city of diamonds, war and volcano

December 6, 2020
Segun Odegbami with Wole Soyinka at the Autonomous Republic of Ijegba

TRAVELOGUE: At home with Soyinka at the Autonomous Republic of Ijegba, By Segun Odegbami

November 29, 2020
TRAVELOGUE: Around Zamfara in seven days, By Femi Fani-Kayode

TRAVELOGUE: Around Zamfara in seven days, By Femi Fani-Kayode

July 26, 2020
lufthansa-airlines

Lufthansa plans job cut, to ground 500 aircraft by 2022

May 19, 2020
Next Post
Nigerian Army

Army kills 39 bandits in Zamfara- Official

Algerian protesters [Photo: bbc.com]

Algeria’s protesters march against ruling elite as elections approach

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


Explore Akwa Ibom Ad


Explore Akwa Ibom Ad


Access Bank Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,655,063 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
    • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.