{{Short description, Artist-run initiative in Douala, Cameroon Atelier Viking is a studio and an

artist-run initiative An artist-run space or artist-run centre (Canada) is a gallery or other facility operated or directed by artists, frequently circumventing the structures of public art centers, museums, or commercial galleries and allowing for a more experimental ...

based in

Douala Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region (Cameroon), Littoral Region. Home to Central Africa's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Ai ...

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

. Artist Viking Kanganyam André founded atelier Viking in March 1976 to promote contemporary art in Cameroon. The paucity of art galleries in Douala encouraged Kanganyam to create a space where artists could be trained and exhibited. Viking taught visual arts (painting, sculpture, graphic art, drawing and serygraphy) to small groups of students. Viking encouraged his students to explore the potentialities of all media and specifically the possibility of transforming and re-using materials found in loco. Concurrently to their activity of visual artists, they worked in advertising. Since 2001, Viking decided to devote his space mostly to exhibitions. Atelier Viking is located in the neighbourhood of Bessengue, Rue Jamot face Garage Technique Auto, 100mt from Mobil Bonakouamuang. It collaborates with

Art Wash Art is a diverse range of human behavior, human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imagination, imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no genera ...

Exhibitions and Events Organised by Atelier Viking

* Squat'art, Patrice Kemplo (2003) in collaboration with

; * Sweet Again,

Koko Komégné Koko Komégné is a visual artist based in Douala and a promoter of the contemporary art scene in Cameroon. Life and career Koko Komégné was born in 1950 in Batoufam. In 1956 he moves to Yaoundé where he attends school and he starts drawi ...

(18 December 2002 - 4 January 2003); * Musoula Mo, Guy Wouete and Daniel Seppo exhibiting 26 paintings and installations (2002); * Round table on selected themes: conviviality, solidarity and fraternity (2002); * Lecture Café with

Alioum Moussa Alioum Moussa, born in 1977 in Maroua (Cameroon), is a graphic designer and illustrator by training. He lives and works in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Biography A self-taught visual artist, Alioum Moussa expresses himself through several media: primaril ...

, reading and debate on the art magazines and literature (March 2002); * Yann and Co: Yanne Queinnec,

, Kanganyam Viking, Kouo Eyango, Nyah Delord, Massong Victor, Bernarnd Baïfang, Alium Moussa (May 2001).

Bibliography

* Essombe Mouangué, ''L'Atelier Viking de Douala: un espace ouvert à toutes les sensibilités artistiques'' in "Africultures", 200

* Essombe Mouangué, ''Expositions à Douala: Koko Komégné, Kouoh Eyango, Martin Njombè II'' in "Africultures", 200

* Giulia Paoletti, ''Cultural and artistic initiatives in Douala'' in ''Douala in Translation. A view of the city and its creative transformative potentials'', edited by Doual'art and iStrike Foundation, Episode Publishers, Rotterdam, 2007, pp. 243-247. Arts organizations based in Cameroon Artist-run centres Arts organizations established in 1976