Malick Sidibé: The Eye of Modern Mali
The late Malick Sidibé’s iconic black-and-white images look particularly striking when hung against the simplistic elegance of Somerset House. Complemented by patterned monochrome linoleum – a nod to the flooring in Sidibé’s own studio – and a distinctive soundtrack curated by Rita Ray, each photograph transports the viewer to another place and time. Widely considered to be Mali’s most famous photographer, Sidibé’s work captures the freedom and ebullience of the country in the wake of its independence.
After Nyne interviews Claire Catterall, Director of Exhibitions and Learning at Somerset House, about bringing ‘the eye of Bamako’ to London.
Why is now the right time for a major exhibition of Sidibé’s work?
Sidibé has never had a solo show in London. When he died in April this year, the outpouring of appreciation for his work and contribution to photography simply underlined the fact that, although international recognition came late in life to him, he still did not have the profile in the UK that was his due. We felt that an exhibition devoted solely to his work was timely and long-awaited.
How is the collection displayed, and what themes are explored?
The show focusses on some of the subjects for which Malick Sidibé is best known. We are showing 45 original prints, looking at 3 themes: This exhibition begins with his series, Tiep à Bamako / Nightlife in Bamako, made between 1963 and 1965. Comprising some of his best-loved photographs, it exudes the energy and optimism of that euphoric moment in a country rejoicing in the wake of independence. The following series, Au Fleuve Niger / Beside the Niger River, taken in the 1970s, shows young Malians at their leisure enjoying a languorous outing by the beach. The final section, Le Studio/The Studio, comprises more formal photographs taken at his studio between the 1960s up until 2001. Increasingly, Mali's young professionals would come to him to have more choreographed portraits made that reflected their status, style, success or taste in music.
Sidibé once remarked that, “Nowadays, young people only want colour photographs.” How does his use of black-and-white images affect our perception of post-independence Mali?
Sidibé worked with black-and-white film throughout his career. His small-format photographs were in fact intended to be kept as souvenirs or sent as postcards, but after Western collectors discovered his work in the 1990s they began presenting them, in enlarged sizes, in galleries across the United States and Europe. His black-and-white images captured the exuberance of newly independent Mali in the 1960s and ’70s – portraying smiling, dancing couples, carefree street scenes and parties. His photographs became emblematic of the Malians’ newfound freedom and identity. The shared spirit of humanity and life documented in these images still speaks to us today.
How important is the exhibition soundtrack in shaping the observer’s experience?
“Music was the real revolution,” as Sidibé put it. “We were entering a new era, and people wanted to dance. Music freed us.” Somerset House has commissioned a soundtrack to accompany the exhibition from DJ and African music expert Rita Ray, which we hope will add meaning to the photographs. The soundtrack is made up of a fragmented mix of acoustic roots music and groundbreaking electric fusions from this era. The people so vividly immortalised in Malick Sidibé’s photos may have heard these tunes playing in the newly accessible night clubs, on the radio, at parties, on the streets and in the markets of Bamako.
What kind of legacy does Sidibé leave behind?
Sidibé has given us a window on to the textures and transformations of African culture in the second half of the 20th century. He was 'the eye of Bamako', but also its heart, soul and spirit: an insider who instinctively understood the power of photography to reflect – and to define – a time, a place and its people. His photographs are a prism though which the rest of the world has viewed the country.
Malick Sidibé: The Eye of Modern Mali runs from 6 October 2016 - 15 January 2017.
Visit somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/malick-sidibe for full details.
Image: Malick Sidibé, 'Dansez le Twist', 1965, © Malick Sidibé, Courtesy Galerie MAGNIN-A, Paris
