Au Mali, quand les animaux dansent

Exhibition at the Musée des Confluences, Lyon, 3 April 2026 – 7 February 2027

On the banks of the River Niger, the festivals known as sogo bo – literally ‘the animal comes out’ – puppet shows in which song, percussion and dance play a central role, have given rise to a rich material culture of masks and puppets. These figurative and colourful objects depict animals, both real and mythical, mythological beings, or scenes from everyday life. Shared by the Bamana, Marka, Bozo and Somono peoples, the practice of sogo bo is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2024, art dealers and collectors Sonia and Albert Loeb made a significant donation of works from Mali related to sogo bo to the Musée des Confluences.

This exhibition catalogue, based on the Loeb donation, offers an insight into this ancestral and participatory theatre, where every member of the community, from the elders to the youngest, has a place. It includes a long, richly illustrated essay by Sonia Loeb, as well as an interview with the couple by Hélène Lafont-Couturier, director of the Musée des Confluences.