During 1988-89, the walls of Senegalese cities -and especially Dakar and its suburbs -were transformed by paintings. As representations, these murals are productive moments in the construction of a new historical memory. Graffiti in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa enjoys a unique status. The city has always accepted, even welcomed, graffiti, and the artists see themselves as responsible to cleanse and beautify their dirty, dilapidated streets.