Les Mots écrits de New Bell

Les Mots Écrits de New Bell is a set of six mural installations by Hervé Yamguen. It is part of "Liquid projects", a program of SUD2010 that financed the production of permanent artworks dedicated to the theme of water in the neighborhoods of residence of four local artists. In New Bell, Yamguen worked in collaboration with two local rappers, Picsou and Moctomoflar, engaging them in the recording (and releasing) of a four songs album about water. During the production process the artist also introduced young people and local residents to the project through night performances and discussion meetings. From the lyrics of rappers, Yamguen extracted text fragments, reproducing them on six façades of Ngangue's neighborhood that were spontaneously offered by locals.

Les Mots Écrits de New Bell were produced on different supports: neon lights, tile mosaics, mirrors, iron rods, and painting. The text fragments selected by Yamguen clearly depict the reality of hardship and hope of New Bell's inhabitants.

Here the texts:

1. Après le temps mort vient le temps vif comme un coup de foudre. Ne pleure pas maman, tous les yeux de la ville pleuvent sur moi. Tranquille papa on ne panique pas;
2. La vie saine, la joie de se sentir bien, l’envie de vivre de bonheur;
3. Se sentir bien;
4. La nuit le bonheur c’est dans les moustiquaires;
5. Wash ma life, Lave mon âme; Wash mes ways, Lave mon kwatt;
6. Dans les eaux sales du quartier, dans ma ruelle, ma jeunesse rebelle.

However, two of these installations were removed: the first one – “Wash ma life, Lave mon âme, Wash mes ways, Lave mon kwatt” – for degradation, due to its position on the wall of a car washer; the second one – “Dans les eaux sales du quartier, dans ma ruelle, ma jeunesse rebelle” – was vandalized by the owner of the wall due to hard discussions with the rapper who wrote the sentence.

The inauguration of the artwork took place during SUD - Salon Urbain de Douala 2010.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Hervé Yamguen, Les mots écrits de New-Bell.

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• List of public art in Douala
• Contemporary African art