Pere of Gbaramatu. His Imperial Majesty, Oboro Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba. From Nigerian Monarchs series by George Osodi
This exhibition, A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography , is on at Tate Modern till January 2024 and I managed to catch it right at the beginning.
I think we’re often guilty of forgetting how diverse this continent is. There 52 countries in Africa and I don’t know how many languages. It’s a joy to see such a variety of styles, techniques and imagery and is the first time many of these photographers have been shown in the UK.
So here are a few photos to give you a flavour of what is on offer with the usual links if you want to discover more.
Queens and Kings by Zohra Opoku, a huge print on cotton.
This moving series of self-portraits by Khadija Saya used the early photographic collodion process giving them an archival feel.
Edson Chagas‘ Tipo Passe series ( Tipo Passe is Portugese for passport) was too large to get in one shot.
It was only after reading the caption that I realised these photos by Sabelo Mlangeni recording everyday moments with family and friends are images of gay life in South Africa’s rural Mpumalanga province.
More to follow next week.