Douala Public Art Trail (doual'art)

Douala has an unlikely distinction: it is home to one of the most ambitious public art programs in sub-Saharan Africa. The doual'art organization, founded in 1991, has placed permanent contemporary artworks across the city's neighborhoods as part of a program called SUD (Salon Urbain de Douala). The result is a scattered but genuinely interesting trail of sculptures, installations, and murals spread from Akwa to Deido to New Bell.

The most famous piece is La Nouvelle Liberté in Deido — a giant figure assembled from scrap metal and salvaged objects, now one of the city's most recognizable images. Other pieces are more subtle: wall inscriptions in New Bell, a pedestrian bridge in Bessengué, a fountain in the city center. The doual'art office can provide maps and information about the full trail. For visitors interested in contemporary African art, this is one of the more interesting things Douala offers.

things to do sight art
A story
La Nouvelle Liberté — a giant bronze figure in the Deido neighborhood — was created by Joseph-Francis Sumégné using scrap metal and found objects, including car parts, bicycle frames, and kitchen utensils. It was installed in 1996 as part of the first SUD (Salon Urbain de Douala) event and has become an unofficial symbol of the city. Locals call it 'Le Colosse de Deido.'

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