The Malian photographer Seydou Keïta was born to a family of carpenters in Bamako in 1921 and discovered photography after his uncle gave him a mini Kodak Brownie Flash. In 1948, after teaching himself the basics, Keïta launched his own photography studio and began to photograph hundreds of Malians, from shopkeepers to politicians, capturing their characters in subtle but stunning black and white images shot in natural light. Until July 24, the Grand Palais presents 300 of his portraits in an exhibition that reveals the extent of his talent and depicts the many fascinating dimensions of Malian identity. Each shot is carefully composed, every detail, gesture and posture attesting to Keïta’s urge to make each of his subjects look as beautiful as possible, and the result is a series that establishes the photographer as one of the finest artists of his time.
TRANSLATION: MARIA THOMAS
