ALICE MANN + SEYDOU KEÏTA
2 African Artists Superbly Capture LIFE
The Danziger Gallery finds itself in the process of transition and development as its New York location advances up one Manhattan block and its LA counterpart, the Danziger at Fetterman, hosts its first exhibition. In the spirit of duality and collaboration, Seydou Keïta and Alice Mann cohabitate the spotlight in a celebratory spectrum of African representation. The two artists hail from different corners of the continent and are essentially lifetimes apart from one another; still, in this showcase, their works intertwine and meet with kindred intentionality.
The late Seydou Keïta, born in 1921 in Mali, began his photographic journey while in his teens after receiving a Kodak Brownie from his uncle. Renowned for his natural ease and talent behind the camera, Keïta first began by photographing his neighbors and family and eventually turned his passion into a business. His keen photographic eye and instinctive knack to bring out the best in his subjects remain unequivocally novel, while his utilization of creative backdrops and props have notably set his work apart and inspired many artists to come. Self-taught and largely unknown in the world of photography for the majority of his life, the moment his work breached in Western artistic settings, the result was akin to that of fireworks or a forest fire — evident for all to see and taking up the large amount of space it rightfully deserved.
The young South African photographer Alice Mann has successfully captured national intrigue on many levels. She is widely recognized for her project “Drummies,” in which she captures young South African girls between the ages of five and 18 in the sport of street parade performing. Adorned in pinks, purples, and baby blues, the young girls in Mann’s photographs practice their art with tall hats, long boots, and sparkling embellishments. In this environment, abounding with acceptance and empowerment, they are given the space and opportunity to flourish in the freedom of their sport. As a white photographer, Mann recognizes her position and privilege in the field and delivers her work as a poised ally to the South African people, bringing awareness to life in the country.
Keïta has notably spoken on his adept ability to complement his subjects, saying, “It’s easy to take a photo, but what really made a difference was that I always knew how to find the right position, and I was never wrong. Their head slightly turned, a serious face, the position of the hands […] I was capable of making someone look really good.”
Both Keïta and Mann paint their subjects in a complimentary and engaging light, creating a tie between the subject and viewer. For a moment the observer relishes in the simpler facets of happiness; the joy of strutting with purpose and power, or posing dramatically with the understanding that however the image develops, the result will be good. There is inherent ease behind the work of Keïta and Mann, and the stories which are told within the four frames of each photograph accord with a higher purpose, speaking decidedly of a people both resilient and beautiful.
To learn more about the exhibition, visit here.
