Chinguetti Library Chaconne |
Work no. 159 | |
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I don't think I'd ever heard of Chinguetti until I came across a CD called "Guitare des sables" ("Guitar of the Sands") published by the French label Buda Musique. The principal performer was Moudou ould Mattalia, a fantastic guitarist whose music touched me deeply. He lived in Chinguetti, where the CD was recorded. While looking for more information on the region's music I came across Michal Huniewicz's photographs from his trip to Mauritania. Looking at those images must've been one of the greatest photographic experiences of my life. As well as many other places, he visited Chinguetti, and his galleries featured pictures of one of the town's many ancient libraries – the Al Ahmed Mahmoud Foundation Library – and its guardian. The mental image, the idea of an ancient library half-hidden far away in a vast desert made a lasting impression on me. That idea is what the title refers to. |
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