Paul Kodjo’s black and white photographs seen in the US for the first time were saved from near oblivion by photographer Ananias Léki Dago’s dedication to restore Kodjo’s archive. Formally trained in photography and cinematography in Abidjan, Paris, and a correspondence course at the New York Institute of Photography Kodjo pushed the boundaries of African traditional studio photography. With cinematic flair, Kodjo photographed his subjects outside of the studio in staged modern domestic interiors, as well as in the streets of Abidjan where a dialogue between model and space contributed to an expression of Ivorian pride. He turned to the tradition of the photo-romans that were published in the national periodical Ivoire Dimanche with wide exposure. Kodjo’s photographs give a unique opportunity to witness the societal context of the economic boom of the early post-independence years. His images echo the shifting social and familial dynamics as well as the renewal of the urban landscape shaped by modernist design and architecture.
1-54 TALK: The Cinematic Eye of West African photographer Paul Kodjo
Saturday 4 May, 6:30 – 7:30pm
1-54 FORUM Room, Industria
Collection Isabel S. Wilcox
happeningafrica@gmail.com
www.happeningafrica.com
