[Charlotte]

Africa’s

Contemporary

Trajectory: A

perspective through

the lens of Malick

Sidibe.

 

 

 

From an American perspective, the month of February chronicles the historical rendering, as well as the triumphs of Africa’s hugely complex, effervescent and profound history.

 

This complex history, encompassing a vibrant and thriving global Black/African Diaspora, has a tinge of incompleteness and does not delve deep enough, beyond the 1600’s, hegemonic-bigotry, the civil rights movements, and, the contemporary travails of People of African Descent and the Global Black/African Diaspora.

 

Black history, notably, is the history of Africa.

 

It is an opportunity to take control of the narrative, its (Africa’s) contributions, and how it shaped global cultures in pre-medieval and contemporary times.

 

Within a contemporary context, and lifestyle, Mali, the seat of old Mandé /Malian Empire, is captured through the photography of Malick Sidibé.

 

Indeed as Mali deconstructs, has a rebirth, and redefines itself (notwithstanding the multifaceted/systemic economic, historical, political and endemic challenges employed to circumvent its over 6oo year history), it remains an important cultural reference point for the Black diaspora.

 

Sidibé’s imagery captures the changing landscape between old institutions and a shift in contemporary perspectives; particularly in the blues, ferried across the Atlantic centuries prior, through Africans dotted across the diaspora, and returning in sounds shaped and layered with a modern twist.

 

The anthology of Afro hair, lifestyle, the mystery of African code’s and mystical traditions creates an opportunity to archive, broadens the scope and understanding of African lifestyle, and ‘couture’, for contemporary art/culture enthusiasts, and a 20th century and 21th century global audience.

 

This influence is exemplified in ‘SOUL SCENE’ Gucci’s Pre-Fall 2017 campaign – referencing African resilience, and culture, through the portraiture of Malick Sidibé.

 

Through Sidibé’s lens we are brought close to the exploration of identity, style, fashion, resilience against the backdrop of Africa’s renaissance and thousand-year long history.

 

• For insights on Malick Sidibé‘s iconic portraits, and story, click on the below images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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