Simon Njami is an independent lecturer, art critic, novelist and essayist. He lives in France, and has Cameroonian roots. Njami was the artistic director of the Bamako photography biennale from 2001-2007, and co-curator of the first African pavilion at the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007. He has curated numerous exhibitions of African art and photography.

He wrote essays in Darat al Funun's exhibition catalogues for Moataz Nasr (2006) and Amal Kenawy (2007), and held a talk in remembrance of Amal Kenawy in 2012.