malick sidibe in W10

I adore the work of Seydou Keïta (1920-2001). He began photographing his family in Mali after an uncle gave him his first camera. He started producing black-and-white portrait photographs, and, as word spread throughout his community, more and more people came to him to have their portraits taken. For a backdrop he would use a bed sheet, which gave the pictures even more depth and texture. He would change the backdrop every year or so, and, many years later he said that this is how he could date each portrait. His clients would wear their best clothes and if they didn't have anything prestigious to include in their portrait they would loan something from his small collection of European props (plastic flowers, pens, ties, etc.). 

Malick Sidibe is also a widely-celebrated Malinese photographer, who captured on film the youth of Mali in the 1960s-70s with a similar style to Seydou Keïta. We can enjoy an exhibition of Malick Sidibe's work at the Lichfield Studios until 16 April.

Photos: Seydou Keïta (top) and Malick Sidibe (bottom) from Gallery 51