Imaging Culture: Photography in Mali, West Africa

Imaging Culture is a sociohistorical study of the meaning, function, and aesthetic significance of photography in Mali, West Africa, from the 1930s to the present. It focuses on the studio and documentary work of professional urban photographers, particularly in Bamako and smaller cities. The book explores how local aesthetic ideas are visually communicated and argues that they have value for contemporary global audiences.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 486 pages
\n Publication date: 06 July 2021
\n Publisher: Indiana University Press
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Imaging Culture is a comprehensive sociohistorical exploration of the meaning, function, and aesthetic significance of photography in Mali, West Africa, from the 1930s to the present. Spanning the dynamic periods of colonialism, national independence, socialism, and democracy, this study delves into the studio and documentary work of professional urban photographers, particularly in the capital city of Bamako and in smaller cities like Mopti and Ségu.

Featuring the work of more than twenty-five photographers, the book focuses on those who have played a pivotal role in shaping the local development and practice of photography, as well as its international popularization and active participation in the contemporary art market.

Imaging Culture examines how local aesthetic ideas are visually communicated in the photographers' art and argues that, while these aesthetic arrangements hold specific relevance for local consumers, they transcend geographical and cultural boundaries to hold value for contemporary global audiences as well.

This important and visually captivating book will serve as a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts studying African photography and its profound impact on the world.

\n Weight: 1306g\n
Dimension: 179 x 253 x 31 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780253025579\n \n