Already in the Middle Ages the village mosques in Mali and adjoining regions were being built of mud. With the introduction of new methods of construction and materials such as cement, the survival of this traditional building style came under threat. World-famous monuments such as the mosque at Djenné, in Mali, protected by UNESCO, remain safe. The situation is less promising for thousands of small village mosques. They are not tourist attractions and lack any similar form of protection, which means they often must yield to the forward march of concrete.

With "Mud Mosques" Schutyser (b. Belgium, 1968) brings us in touch with the often under-appreciated building style of the mud mosques of the inland delta of the Niger, which moreover break the monotony of the Sahel in such an impressive way. The black and white photographs have a uniform and timeless character that fits perfectly with the subject. Schutyser spent his childhood in what was then Zaire. After obtaining a master's degree in political science at the University of Ghent, he began the study of photography at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts at Ghent, where he graduated in 1997. While still a student he was twice honoured for his work "Mali Portraits."

More work by Schutyser can be found at: www.sebastianschutyser.com