L'Afrique Par Elle-Meme

(Photographer unknown), Saint- Louis du Senegal, c. 1930. L'Afrique Par Elle-Meme N a n c y H i n e s 4 4 «Nk a Jo u r n al of Co n t e m p o r ar y Af rican Ar t 'Af rioj ue par el l e- m em e", an am b i t i o u s ex h i b i t i o n o r g an i z ed b y Revue Noire, is an at t em p t t o p r esen t A f r i ca t h r o u g h an A f r i can l en s. In d eed , m an y af r i can l en ses, as t h e sh o w o u t l i n es t h e l o n g lif e o f p h o t o g r ap h y o n t h eco n t i n en t t h r o u g h i m ag es p r o d u ced by A f r i can p h o t o g r ap h er s o ver t h e past ISO y ear s . Si n c e its ar r i val in A f r i ca, p h o t o g r ap h y has b een i n t i m at el y i n t er t w i n ed w i t h t h e lif e an d hi st or y o f t h e c o n t i n en t . T h e i n t i m at e r el at i o n sh i p b et w een p h o t o g r ap h y an d ever yd ay lif e is p ar t i cu l ar l y cl ear in t h e r o o m d ed i cat ed t o "Les p r ecu r seu r s" (1840- 1930) an d st u d i o p o r t r ai t u r e (1 9 0 0 - 1 9 7 0 ). Fr o m t h e g l am o r o u s p h o t o g r ap h s o f el ab o r at ely co i f f u r ed w o m en b y M a m a Casset t t o t h e st ar k , m o v i n g "i d en t i t y- car d " p o r t r ai t s o f Co r n el i u s Yao A u g u st t A z ag l o , t h e r o o m g ave a r i ch sen se o f an o n g o i n g p r act i ce in p o r t r ai t s si n ce t h e t u r n o f t his cen t u r y. Sever al p h o t o g r ap h s u n d er sco r e t h e i m p o r t an ce o f i m ag es in d o m est i c lif e b y sh o w i n g t h e sit t er in d o m est i c set t i n g s t h em sel ves d eco r at ed w i t h p h o t o g r ap h s, p o st car d s an d p o r t r ai t s T h i s sect i o n w as t h e m o st co h er en t an d r ew ar d i n...