The Exhibition
The photographs on show display the traditional and essential components of portraiture in the studio – light, subject, props, framing, composition, with a story to tell. In Seydou Keita’s studio, there were many props, a car, motorbikes, costumes, and fabrics. He designed the look and the pose of the sitters. It was more than fashion and style, everyone looked elegant and modern. Seydou applied great effort to show the beauty of his subjects.
The Artist
Seydou Keita was born in Bamako, Mali, in 1921. He was trained in his father’s workshop to be a carpenter, working with wood.The world of photography opened up to him, after an uncle gave him a Kodak Brownie camera in 1935. Self taught, in 1945 he opened his own studio in Bamako, and quickly built up a good business, photographing families, and all people in the community. In 1962, the socialist government appointed Keita its official photographer. He closed down his studio, and began working for the government. He retired in 1977. In the early 1990s, his archive of over 10,000 negatives became public. Through the collector Jean Pigozzi, his photographic works achieved international recognition. Establish Seydou Keita among the masters of 2oth century photographers. www.seydoukeitaphotography.com.
