TODAY I WANT YOU TO DISCOVER A MALIAN PHOTOGRAHER HE IS 76 YEARS OLD. HE WAS BORN IN SOLOBA A SMALL VILLAGE IN MALI( WEST AFRICA )A COUNTRY NEAR SENEGAL.
HE WAS NICKNAMED ( L'OEIL DE BAMAKO ) BAMAKO'S EYE BECAUSE HE SPENT MOST OF HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE PEOPLE OF BAMAKO WHICH IS THE CAPITAL OF MALI.
HE LEARNT PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A FRENCH PHOTOGRAFER WHEN HE WAS WORKING IN HIS STUDIO IN 1955. IN 1962 HE OPENED HIS OWN STUDIO WHERE HE IS STILL TODAY. LIKE "TEENIE" HARRIS ( DID YOU REMEMBER HIM ? ) HE WAS ALSO A REPORTER AND HIS PHOTOS ARE A TESTIMONY OF HOW AFRICAN PEOPLE ( MALIAN IN THIS CASE) LIVED DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF INDEPENDANCE ( MOST OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES BECAME INDEPENDANT IN THE EARLY 60'S). IN THE BEGINNING HIS WORK WAS FOCUS ON THE RICH, YOUNG AND PRIVILEDGE PEOPLE OF BAMAKO. THEN IN THE 70'S HE STARTED TO MADE ORIGINAL PORTRAITS.
IN 2003 HE RECEIVED THE HASSELBALD LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN.
IN 2007 HE RECEIVE " LE LION D'OR" BY THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL FOR ALL HIS CARRIERE.
IN 2009 HE RECEIVE TWO MORE PRICSE, ONE IN ESPAGNA AND ANOTHER ONE IN THE USA.
HIS WORK IS HEXIBITED ALL OVER THE WORLD. HE STILL WORK TODAY.
LOVE HIS WORK FOR A LOT OF REASONS BUT MOST OF ALL IS BECAUSE EVEN IF ALL THIS PEOPLE ARE FROM MALI, MY PARENTS WHO ARE CAMEROONIANS HAVE THIS KIND OF PICTURES OF THEMSELF WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG. I ALSO HAVE MY ONLY BABY PICTURE (9 MONTH OLD) TOOK IN THIS KIND OF STUDIO. BECAUSE I WAS BORN IN DOUALA.
MY FATHER IS VERY ILL ( I CAN LOST HIM AT ANY MOMENT? BUT I JUST DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT) SO WHEN I LOOK AT THIS PICTURES I THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS HIS LIFE AND ALL HE HAS BEEN TROUGH AS AN AFRICAN EMIGRANT IN FRANCE AND HOW WAS HIS LIFE DURING THIS INDEPENDANCE DAYS IN CAMEROON. HE IS SO PROUD OF HIS COUNTRY AND HE TEACH ME AND SHOW ME TO BE PROUD OF WHERE I CAME FROM EVRYDAY. THAT'S IT.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME AND MY SISTERS.
HIS WORK IS SO POPULAR TODAY THAT YOUNG MALIANS COPY THE SAME STYLE OF PICTURES FOR THEMSELF.
INNA MODJA A NEW YOUNG MALIAN SINGER CHOOSE HIM FOR HER ALBUM COVER.
THIS PICTURE REMIND ME SO MUCH ONE OF MY PARENTS PICTURES THAT THEY MADE BEFORE MY FATHER CAME FIRST IN FRANCE BEFORE MY MUM, MY SISTER AND I FOLLOWED HIM 2 YEARS LATER.
I'm sorry to hear about your father. When my son was burned and I didn't know what to expect all I wanted to do was hold him. My advice to you is to cherish everyone moment. Take lots of pictures, share lots of memories, and live in every moment with your father while you still have him. Prayers and blessings to you and yours.
RépondreSupprimerTO JenJen,
SupprimerThank you very much for the blessings and the prayers and i will sure follow your advices; My father always tell me to not worry but i can't stop because of his 33 years of diabete;
Thank you so much for sharing this photos. Though dissimilar in many ways, I see these photos and I think of my own 1960s childhood, especially the first picture of the couple dancing.
RépondreSupprimerMinasek, I am also very sorry to hear about your father's illness. I will keep him and your family in my prayers.
TO JazzWife,
RépondreSupprimerThank you very much for the prayer and support.
Trop bien les photos à l'ancienne!!
RépondreSupprimerMerci d'apprécier;
Supprimer