Malick Sidibé
Since being ‘rediscovered’ on the occasion of one of the first ‘Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie’ in Bamako in 1994, respect for Malick Sidibé’s photographic biography has grown steadily in both the Western art world, as well as among a young generation of African photographers. His photographs are popular because they depict Africa at a time of awakening and hope, and a young generation that one might be inclined to call the ‘jeunesse dorée’ – if only this would not fail to recognise their material penury, compared to the rebellious bourgeois juveniles in Europe at the same time. However, something else fascinates us in Sidibé’s photographs, more powerful than their being a source of nostalgic projections. Apart from the qualities described above – their vitality, sensitivity and humour – they are valued not only for their visual innovativeness and formal originality, but also for their delicate balance of imperceptible forces: These include the space that the photographer affords his models to the ends of self-expression, and the scope that opens up under his direction – ultimately the gift of every good portraitist. Malick Sidibé was awarded the International Prize of the Hasselblad Foundation in 2003 and a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 52nd Venice Biennale Contemporary Art Exhibition in 2007.
Foam Editions is proud to offer an extensive selection of unique prints from the Malian artist Malick Sidibé.
Text by: Florian Ebner
Samenwerking Foam_Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam en de Baak/Landgoed de Horst
In de lounge van het Landhuis in Driebergen is nu de vierde serie van foto’s/editions geëxposeerd. Foam gaat de komende twee jaar per kwartaal de edities wisselen.
Sinds de oprichting in 2001 heeft Foam_Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam zich ontwikkeld tot een van de meest toonaangevende en vooruitstrevende fotografie-instituten van Nederland. Het is dé plek voor fotografie in al haar gedaanten: van documentair tot mode, van eigentijds tot historisch. Een museum met een internationale allure. Naast grote tentoonstellingen waarin het werk van (wereld)beroemde fotografen gepresenteerd wordt, toont Foam ook jong talent in kleinere, snel wisselende exposities.