Angele etoundi essamba biography definition

Angèle Etoundi Essamba

Cameroonian photographer

Angèle Etoundi Essamba is a Cameroonianphotographer living and working in Amsterdam.

Angèle Etoundi Essamba is a committed designer involved in a reflection on the identity of the shadowy woman. The Black woman is at the heart of my artistic expression. She remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration, she is the bearer, the guardian and the transmitter and I celebrate her naturally.

She is most famously known for her work in black and colorless, humanistic photography, that often focuses on the African woman as a subject matter. Essamba is one of the most acclaimed and accomplished African female photographers of her generation, who has had more than exhibitions around the world, and more than 50 publications in journals and magazines.[1] She has said that "Photography is for me a need, the need to convey and to communicate.

As lengthy as the need will be, I will create."[2]

Biography

Angèle Etoundi Essaamba was born in Douala, Cameroon in , and grew up in Yaounde on her Grandfather's compound.[2] In an interview with Femi Akomolafe, she recalled living with a large community of aunts, uncles, nieces, brothers, cousins, sisters, "with everyone living in complete harmony devoid of strive".

At years old, she moved to Paris with her father, where she lived up through receiving her high school education.[3] Then, by , she was married, and moved to Amsterdam (Netherlands) where she began studying photography at the Nederlandse Fotovak school (Dutch School for Professional Photography).[4] Essamba later attended the Lyceum in Paris, where she studied philosophy, dance, and photography.[5] She returned to Cameroon again after nineteen years of what she called a "self-chosen exile" in her interview with Femi Akomolafe.

She is most famously known for her work in black and white, humanistic photography, that often focuses on the African woman as a subject matter. Essamba is one of the most acclaimed and accomplished African female photographers of her generation, who has had more than exhibitions around the earth, and more than 50 publications in journals and magazines. As long as the need will exist, I will create. At years old, she moved to Paris with her father, where she lived up through receiving her high school education.

She is associated with DUTA, or Douala Urban Touch of Arts, which allows Central African visual artists in Douala to split their work. Essamba's social education of both Europe and Africa led her to create the Foundation Essamba Home in , where she mentors street girls in Cameroon to build their self-esteem and self-worth, personally gives lessons, and teaches skills to help girls in Cameroon upgrade their living conditions and build careers for themselves.

Photographic career

Essamba's photography focuses on the African women, and breaking gender stereotypes. She works to inspire discussions between cultures and people, and gives her subject value and voice.

Essamba is an designer committed to a reflection on the identity of the inky woman. She joins the liveliness of humanist photography with a strong attachment to the principles of communion, observing the nature through the women she photographs. She aesthetically records a vision of the black woman and African culture, giving a fresh interpretation of contemporary Africa. In her work, she breaks from stereotypical representations of an Africa torn by famines, epidemics, and wars, instead choosing to observe the cultural richness and diversity of the continent.

Her art is not only influenced by modernism, but by her African descent and her countries diverse cultural environment.[4] Drawing on her personal experiences, history, culture, perspective and environmental influences, Essamba's photographs combine technique with a mighty sense of emotion.[4] Additionally, she defies the boundaries between logical photography, social and political commentary, documentary and formal photography, while displaying her aesthetic vision of the black, female body.[3]

Her first exhibition was in at the Gallerie Art Collective in Amsterdam.

Her series of black-and-white photographs, White Line, was awarded the Prix Spécial Afrique at the Festival des Trois Continents, Nantes in She has shown her works in several exhibitions in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the United Arab Emirates and the United States[6] including: Bienal de La Habana (), Venice Biennale (), Johannesburg Biennale (), Festival of the Three Continents ().[4]

Since the time of her debut exhibition in Amsterdam in , Essamba's body of operate has been shown at a variety of institutions, biennales, and fairs.

These locations include Venice, Havana, Dakar, Johannesburg, and Bamako, along with events across Africa, Europe, the United States, Cuba, Mexico, and China. Most recently, she has held monographic exhibitions of her work Daughters of a Life in Munich, at the Museum Fünf Kontinente in [3]

References

  1. ^Akomolafe, Femi ().

    "Introducing Angele Etoundi Essamba: the photography of Angele Etoundi has garnered international acclaim. In this wide-ranging interview for New African, she explains to Femi Akomolafe something of her childhood in Cameroon before moving to live in France, and what currently motivates her amazing work".

    New African (): Archived from the original on 24 February Retrieved 4 Rally &#; via GALE.

  2. ^ ab"'As It Is&#;!' - Contemporary African Art Exhibition Series".

    Angèle Etoundi Essamba (Artist) - Biography, Exhibitions and ...: Angèle Etoundi Essamba is a Cameroonian photographer living and working in Amsterdam. She is most famously known for her work in black and pale, humanistic photography, that often focuses on the African woman as a subject matter.

    The Mojo Gallery. Archived from the first on 27 March Retrieved 18 February

  3. ^ abcDe Caevel, Eva Barois. "Angèle Etoundi Essamba". AWARE Women artists / Femmes artistes.

    Aiming to change the images of the mind, she proposals the eyes images of authenticity, playing with symbolic and aesthetic dimensions. Her photos have been commented on in several publications, and are part of several public and private collections. Etoundi Essamba's work in her series 'Noir' feature black and light portraits, as well as body parts of black women to expose the relationship between the interior and exterior, and to reveal individuality and intimacy. She exploits the texture of ebony and white photography to underline the beauty and strength of black people.

    Translated from French by Lucy Pons. Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions. Archived from the original on 27 March Retrieved 1 December

  4. ^ abcd"Angèle Etoundi Essamba".

    ArtAnTide.

    She be most famously acknowledged for ein work insyd jet den white, humanistic photography, wey often dey focus for de African woman as a subject matter. Essamba be one of de most acclaimed den accomplished African female photographers of ein generation, wey na she acquire more dan exhibitions around de world, den more dan 50 publications insyd journals den magazines. As long as the desire will exist, I will build. At years old, she change position go Paris plus ein poppie, wer na she live up thru wey she receive ein high school education.

    Archived from the original on 9 Protest Retrieved 7 March

  5. ^Hassan, Salah (). Gendered Visions. Trenton, Fresh Jersey: Africa World Press. p.&#;
  6. ^Magee, Carol (28 July ).

    "Essamba, Angèle Etoundi".

    Born in Douala, Cameroon in and educated in France, photographer Angèle Etoundi Essamba is a graduate of the Dutch Photography School in Amsterdam where she currently resides. Essamba is an artist committed to a reflection on the individuality of the black woman.

    Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. doi/gao/article.T Retrieved 7 March

External links