Galerie Zeinart is a place where local artists can showcase their work to a large audience. The place itself is relatively small, an L-shaped room of no more than 500 square feet in total, but the quality of the art on display is impressive. 

At regular intervals, the place is packed with artwork by artists from all over Mauritania. Notable examples include Mamadou Anne, with his signature animals surfacing from semi-abstract works, making a powerful statement about the impact of contemporary life on the planet; Désirée Trotha, the creator of photographic chronicles of Nouakchott; or Nancy Abeiderrahmane, who captures glimpses of desert life and its subtle colors on canvas.  Interestingly, the artists whose work is on display are usually present at Zeinart, eager to talk to visitors.

The gallery offers more than temporary exhibitions, as some jewelry, ornaments, masks, and other artifacts produced locally are on permanent display and available for sale. Outside the gates of Zeinart’s serene manicured garden, the bustle of Nouakchott continues, as if it were a different planet.