Flash Afrique! Photography from West Africa

From Library Journal
As attention is increasingly directed to the study and appreciation of contemporary African art, the work of indigenous photographers has been made available to a larger audience through exhibitions and publications. This volume, which accompanies a show curated by Matt and Miessgang at Vienna's Kunsthalle gallery, focuses on the work of six 20th-century photographers from Ghana, Mali, Senegal, and the Ivory Coast. The 57 works range from staged studio portraits to documentary shots of street life. However, this is much more than a simple catalog of images. The text, consisting of essays and interviews by scholars, critics, and the artists themselves, analyzes the aesthetics and meaning behind the photographs. In addition, artists' biographies are separately provided. While the interpretive nature of the text and the variety of works reproduced make this a valuable addition to academic libraries specializing in art or African studies, general collections are still better served by a survey, such as In/Sight: African Photographers, 1840-1981. Eugene C. Burt, Data Arts, SeattleCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Terra incognito? Heart of darkness? How about "stylish continent," as some magazine once wrote? The gigantic landmass that is Africa, over which a colonial shadow still looms, is a territory of projections and misunderstandings. The West African photographers presented in "Flash Afrique!" tell stories about the tension between dreams and reality. Elaborately arranged studio portraits reveal how Africa sees itself. Documentary images comment on the sheer craziness of overpopulated cities. And conversations with the photographers open up an art scene only recently begun to emerge from shadow. Edited by Gerald Matt, Thomas Miessgang. Essays by Olu Oguibe, Koyo Kouoh, Simon Njami. Photographers include: Philip Kwame Apagya, Dorris Haron Kasco, Seydou Keita, Boubacar Toure Mandemory, Bouna Medoune Seye, Malick Sidibe. 7.75 x 10.25 in. 57 color and duotone illustrations


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As attention is increasingly directed to the study and appreciation of contemporary African art, the work of indigenous photographers has been made available to a larger audience through exhibitions and publications. This volume, which accompanies a show curated by Matt and Miessgang at Vienna's Kunsthalle gallery, focuses on the work of six 20th-century photographers from Ghana, Mali, Senegal, and the Ivory Coast. The 57 works range from staged studio portraits to documentary shots of street life. However, this is much more than a simple catalog of images. The text, consisting of essays and interviews by scholars, critics, and the artists themselves, analyzes the aesthetics and meaning behind the photographs. In addition, artists' biographies are separately provided. While the interpretive nature of the text and the variety of works reproduced make this a valuable addition to academic libraries specializing in art or African studies, general collections are still better served by a survey, such as In/Sight: African Photographers, 1840-1981. Eugene C. Burt, Data Arts, Seattle Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.


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