A茂da Muluneh. Mous Lamrabat. Prince Gyasi. Thandiwe Muriu. Zanele Muholi. These are just a few contemporary African photographers 鈥 from Ethiopia and Ghana to Kenya and Morocco 鈥 making waves in the art world. But, what about those who came before? Archivist and writer Amy Sall addresses this question in her new book, The African Gaze. Published by Thames & Hudson, this stunning compendium takes the reader on a journey through time to uncover Africa鈥檚 greatest lens-based practitioners. There are 25 photographers and 25 filmmakers featured, each with biographies that place them in context and footnotes that invite readers to learn even more. Some of the artists included are already starting to receive more international recognition, such as Seydou Ke茂ta, Sanl茅 Sory and Ernst Cole. However, the volume really shines when it comes to spotlighting past visionaries overlooked by the canon.
Many will know Ke茂ta鈥檚 studio photographs showing the fashionably dressed people of Mali. However, fewer will recognise the name of his mentor, Mountaga Demb茅l茅 (1919-2004), who dubbed himself the 鈥渇irst Black photographer in Bamako.鈥 Sall introduces us to him in The African Gaze, highlighting the artist鈥檚 archive of family portraits. One shows two women with arms over each other鈥檚 shoulders and fingers interlaced. Demb茅l茅 overlays purple and gold over the monochromatic base photograph to inject colour into the accessories and clothes of his subjects. The lens-based artist was known for his powerful vision for the overall piece and would often direct the poses of his clients in order to achieve the most interesting final result. In an interview with scholar , Demb茅l茅 shared: 鈥淚 decided on the poses people took鈥 I organised all of that myself鈥ven the way the bandanas were tied, I did it for them.鈥 As the Malian photography scene grows bigger and bigger 鈥 with events like Bamako Encounters spotlighting lens-based creativity since 1994 鈥 this is a moment to give credit to an early pioneer of the medium.
We are also introduced to the late Felicia Abban (1935-2024) 鈥 who is considered the first woman photographer in Ghana. She was able to build an impressive 60 year career for herself in a male-dominated field, which is reflected through the fact that she is one of very few women in Sall鈥檚 book. At age 18, Abban set up her own photography shop called 鈥楳rs Felicia Abban鈥檚 Day and Night Quality Art Studio鈥 and gained renown through the years to the extent that, in the 1960s, she was the photographer of Ghana鈥檚 first president, Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972). Today, she is famous for her self-portraits, which she used to advertise her business, build her skills and as a mode of self-expression. In one shot, she wears a bright smile along with an ornately patterned dress, white gloves and flower-adorned cloche hat. In 2019, curator Nana Ofosuaa Oforiatta Ayim selected Abban鈥檚 work to be part of Ghana鈥檚 first pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Ayim, who got to know Abban in the last years of her life, stated in an interview for that: 鈥渋n her own words, she said she thought she could portray women better than the men around her.鈥
As Sall aptly states in her preface: 鈥渆xpression through the camera underscored a necessity, desire and right to portray African people as they were and as they wished to be seen.鈥 In recent years, we have seen the art world begin to recognise African photographers with exhibitions like A World in Common at Tate and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. This delayed recognition does not mean that photographers from the continent are only emerging now. Forebears such as Demb茅l茅 and Abban have long been using the camera as a tool for expression. The African Gaze spotlights those overlooked by history. It鈥檚 an essential archive that enriches our knowledge of past pioneers and preserves their names for generations to come. Packed with reference material, Sall鈥檚 book is an entry point into the breadth and beauty of African photography.
The African Gaze | Thames & Hudson
Words: Diana Bestwish Tetteh
Image Credits:
- Je vais d茅coller, (1977). 漏 Sanl茅 Sory, Courtesy David Hill Gallery, London.
- Untitled, Podor, (1963-78). 漏 Estate of Oumar Ly.
- Filles du bar-dansing, L茅opoldville, (1955-65). 漏 Jean Depara, Courtesy Revue Noire.
- Self-portrait, from 70鈥檚 Lifestyle series, (1975-78). 漏 Samuel Fosso, Courtesy Jean Marc Patras, Paris.
