Doual'art loses owner, Didier Schaub

The cultural centre, Doual'art is in mourning as its French co- founder, Didier Schaub died in the early hours of November 11.

"I am sad to announce that Didier has left us, quietly and with great dignity, on the night of November 11. He resisted the disease for weeks ... but the inevitable overtook us”, a written message by his wife, Princess of Bell Township and descendant of the national hero, Rudolph Douala Manga Bell, Maryline Douala- Bell- Schaub.

He lost the battle in Paris after being diagnosed with cancer. He founded the Doual'art with a Cameroonian woman he left in 1991. This centre specializing in the visual arts made the mixed raced couple famous and had a good reputation.

It is located at the residence of the rulers of the Bell chiefdom in the heart of the city and an administrative district, Bonanjo. The Schaub couple were supported by the French Cultural Centre which intended to live a contemporary art in full bloom in Cameroon.

At first, it was expatriates and more affluent people who patronized the art works on display. Cameroonians became interested soon after. What makes it a stronghold of Douala art, as well as the capital Yaoundé is that, Doual'art has trained many local artists who are making it in the art world.

This expertise and work has earned its developers the support of the European Union. In the early 2000s, Doual'art hosted the ‘Artists of Proculture’, a project aimed at supporting the professions of artists from Central Africa.

Doual'art has proved itself worthy and attracted interest from other cultural promoters. Also, other exhibition and sale of works of art spaces have been created in Douala, the capital of Cameroon .