Arthur Greene
The latest artwork by famous Senegalese artist Bou bou is a stunning tribute to the recent protests which have rocked Senegal.
In the minute-long video, Bou bou, covers his chest with the colours of the Senegalese flag before using his fists to produce a portrait of a man proudly waving the flag with his fist in the air.
The painting’s subject is initially unclear, but when he turns the canvas over, he reveals that he had been working upside down all along.
Bou bou, who is from the capital Dakar, concludes his bold political statement by kissing the flag and mirroring his subject’s pose.
The video, which was posted on Twitter, expresses solidarity with the country’s recent protests and what they view as the suppression of democracy.
Protestors took to the streets following the arrest of opposition leader Ousman Sonko on Wednesday. The charismatic MP is accused of sexual assault by a massage therapist at a beauty salon.
Sonko claims the allegations were orchestrated by the government of President Macky Sall.
Until recently, Senegal was regarded as a very stable country. In the worst civil unrest in the country in over a decade, at least eight people have been killed in the violent demonstrations which have been ongoing for the past week and are expected to continue.
Schools across the country have been closed while authorities have suspended the signals of two privately owned TV channels. Access to social media sites was restricted on 5 March.
Video source: @boubou-design
