Untitled, 1960
“At a time when many West African countries were gaining independence, studio photography became an important aspect of expressing and redefining local identity. Common amongst all the photographers in the exhibition is the practice of capturing their fellow countrymen on film, attired in their finest clothes, often holding props against carefully chosen backdrops. Their stylized poses and expressions suggest they were engaging directly with the photographer and the camera lens. The photographs give an insider’s viewpoint and an optimistic insight into self-determination.”
-Jack Bell Gallery
Image by: Joseph Moise Agbodjelou (1912-2000)
“My models are my muses. I like to capture people that I find interesting in life. Though they do not always have ‘the perfect feature’, they fascinate me – they are normal people yet whimsical” Xiangyu Liu says. The Chinese photographer moved to Russia to study fine arts before turning to photography. There, he discovered another…
‘René Magritte’s cerebral, enigmatic paintings and prints helped define the imagery and philosophy of the Surrealist movement. His most famous works, including The Treachery of Images (1929) and The Son of Man (1946), explore the illusory power of art and juxtapose mundane and fantastical iconography. Magritte was born in Belgium. After a stint at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels…
“I never saw anyone that looked like me in movies or on the covers of fashion magazines. I also didn’t see Asian photographers shooting for the magazines I looked at, which made me question if I could even make it as a photographer” – Peter Ash Lee. Xiao Wen Ju graces the pages of Vogue…
Knowledge is power
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