Presented byThe Arc InstituteA Photographic Exhibition by Abdou Karim NdoyeA photographer's witness to the spring Senegal chose itself. Eleven months on the streets of Dakar, March 2024.
April 2 — June 19, 2027
Public opening — Friday, April 2, 2027, 7:00 PM ET
Chamberbrook Arts District
Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond, Virginia
Tuesday — Sunday · 11:00 – 18:00
Free admission · suggested donation
Seventy-two silver-gelatin prints, a short film, and a room-length wall of the artist's field notes. Gathered by Abdou Karim Ndoye during the eleven months he spent on the streets of Dakar around the spring of 2024. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
"I was not covering the news. I was witnessing history. There is a difference."
Abdou Karim Ndoye is a Senegalese photojournalist. In the spring of 2024 he set down his daily commissions and walked, with a single camera, through the streets of Dakar. He stayed for eleven months.
He works in black and white. He learned to see in the company of Seydou Keïta and Philip Jones Griffiths. He insists that dignity, never spectacle, remain the centre of the frame.
"First Line" is what he carried home. Portraits of students, market women, imams, farmers, lawyers, taxi drivers, mothers. The people who, in March 2024, became the country's slowest and most patient vote. The work has been shown in Bamako and at the Musée Théodore-Monod before arriving in Richmond.
A walk through selected prints from the exhibition. Tap any frame for its title and place.
The full edition of seventy-two prints will be on view from April 2, 2027. Photographs © Abdou Karim Ndoye. Reproduction by permission only.
A People's WitnessOrdinary people.
Extraordinary courage.She stands where history is written.
In May 2026, we brought the vision to life, engaging students, community leaders, and supporters across Washington DC and Richmond. These moments mark the beginning of a story that will unfold at Chamberbrook in April 2027.
Common House · Richmond, Virginia
At Common House in Richmond, we officially introduced ARC Institute Global. The evening featured a powerful panel conversation about the transformative journey from Prison to Palace, connecting Senegal's democratic movement to a new home in Richmond.
Guests were deeply engaged, spending time with the printed photographs that tell this story. The energy in the room was one of shared purpose and growing excitement.
KIPP DC · Washington
We visited KIPP DC's art department to talk about how art can contribute to bringing about change. Students asked thoughtful questions about the exhibition, Senegal's democratic movement, and how they can use their creative voices to make a difference.
The visit was a powerful reminder that this work is not just about the past. It's about inspiring the next generation of civic leaders.
Washington, DC
In Washington DC, we met with institutional partners to discuss the project's vision and explore collaboration. These conversations laid the groundwork for partnerships that will help bring Première Ligne to a wider audience.
The Grove Inn
At The Grove, we gathered with supporters for an intimate dinner. Guests asked questions, shared their own experiences, and connected the story of Senegal's democratic movement to their American experience. It was a night of deep listening and growing excitement for what's to come.
This was just the beginning. The exhibition opens April 2, 2027, at Chamberbrook, Richmond.
Stay ConnectedShort letters, conversations, and reading lists from the curatorial team as the exhibition takes shape.
On why Richmond, on why now, and on what it asks of us to host a body of work made a continent away.
The artist on witnessing, the choice of black-and-white film, and the ethics of standing close.
A short primer for visitors arriving without context: what happened in Senegal, what it meant, and what remains unfinished.