Photography in Cameroon

[mia-africa-americas]

Autoportrait, from the series “70’s Lifestyle”, Samuel Fosso, 1975-1978 (printed 2019), Minneapolis Institute of Art: Art of Africa and the Americas

black and white image of young man looking out from gap between two patterned sheets, standing on a floral patterned platform; out of focus spotlights visible on left in foreground “I have to admit, I didn’t know I was making artistic photographs. It was a discovery for me.” For years, the young Samuel Fosso—born in Cameroon to Nigerian parents, living in Bangui (Central African Republic)—had been making self-portraits in black-and-white to send to his family in Nigeria. He experimented with props, poses, and costumes in flamboyant 1970s fashion. Much later, in 1994, these private photos were shown for the first time at the African Photography Encounters in Bamako, Mali. Fosso won the First Prize, and realized he was an artist. Size: 20 1/8 × 20 1/16 in. (51.12 × 50.96 cm) (image) 22 × 22 1/16 in. (55.88 × 56.04 cm) (sheet) Medium: Gelatin silver print

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/136516/

[mia-africa-americas]

Autoportrait, from the series “70’s Lifestyle”, Samuel Fosso, 1975-1978 (printed 2019), Minneapolis Institute of Art: Art of Africa and the Americas

black and white image of young man wearing dark, high-waisted bell bottoms, light collared shirt, sunglasses, and hat, standing on checkboard floor; sheet hanging in background over floral-print platform; out of focus spotlights visible on left and right in foreground “I have to admit, I didn’t know I was making artistic photographs. It was a discovery for me.” For years, the young Samuel Fosso—born in Cameroon to Nigerian parents, living in Bangui (Central African Republic)—had been making self-portraits in black-and-white to send to his family in Nigeria. He experimented with props, poses, and costumes in flamboyant 1970s fashion. Much later, in 1994, these private photos were shown for the first time at the African Photography Encounters in Bamako, Mali. Fosso won the First Prize, and realized he was an artist. Size: 20 1/16 × 20 in. (50.96 × 50.8 cm) (image) 22 × 22 1/16 in. (55.88 × 56.04 cm) (sheet) Medium: Gelatin silver print

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/136518/

[mia-africa-americas]

Autoportrait, from the series “70’s Lifestyle”, Samuel Fosso, 1975-1978 (printed 2019), Minneapolis Institute of Art: Art of Africa and the Americas

black and white image of young man wearing reflective black, half-frame glasses and sleeveless shirt printed with image of two men and pattern; sheet and floral-patterm platform in background “I have to admit, I didn’t know I was making artistic photographs. It was a discovery for me.” For years, the young Samuel Fosso—born in Cameroon to Nigerian parents, living in Bangui (Central African Republic)—had been making self-portraits in black-and-white to send to his family in Nigeria. He experimented with props, poses, and costumes in flamboyant 1970s fashion. Much later, in 1994, these private photos were shown for the first time at the African Photography Encounters in Bamako, Mali. Fosso won the First Prize, and realized he was an artist. Size: 20 1/8 × 19 15/16 in. (51.12 × 50.64 cm) (image) 22 × 22 in. (55.88 × 55.88 cm) (sheet) Medium: Gelatin silver print

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/136517/

[itswadestore]

By Michel Kameni, Studio Kameni, Cameroon.

[callmehashimoto]

Samuel Finlak behind his wife, who is braiding the hair of a neighbour.

[itswadestore]

By Jacques Toussele, 1986, Cameroon.

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Group of friends, Atta

Elements reflecting local traditions, such as long flowing garments, hand-dyed indigo cloth (ndop), and other accessories, served as important indicators of community status in the Grassfields region of Cameroon – home to dozens of kingdoms and the birthplace of all three photographers. Taken together, the images present a vivid panorama of the country embracing its traditions, local cultures, as well as globalisation.

Photograph: Samuel Finlak

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Man with motorcycle in studio

Toussele, Chila, and Finlak were adept at helping sitters convey different aspects of their identities: national or neighbourhood affiliations, membership in a cultural group or a sports club, religious beliefs or profession, family ties or friendship. Fashionable hairstyles, T-shirts featuring popular figures, boom boxes, and motorcycles were chosen by the sitters to express their prosperity, both attained and aspired to.

Photograph: © Jacques Toussele’s Estate

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Two young men,

Mayo DarléChila took photographs in his studio and around the town but did not travel beyond it.

Photograph: Joseph Chila

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Two senior men in toghu with fly whisks

Toussele staged most of his photos at the studio but, with his apprentices, also visited weekly markets in villages, travelling there by motorbike and then car, which his business allowed him to buy, and gave him the chance to photograph clients in more spontaneous settings.

Photograph: Jacques Toussele’s Estate

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Franscisca Ngecop and two generations of her family, near Atta village at Sonkolong Mbam/Golori

Commissioning a portrait from a studio photographer was common in post-colonial Cameroon because few people had their own camera. Moreover, from the mid-1950s, the government mandated that all adults must carry an identity card with a photograph. The steady income provided by ID photos enabled photographers to offer lower rates on more complex studio commissions – portraits of families, couples, friends, and social gatherings – making them accessible to a wider clientele.

Photograph: Samuel Finlak

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Emmanuel Lucky Sparrow, the backdrop painter, and his girlfriend

Jacques Toussele (1939–2017) was born in the village of Bamessingué, but spent most of his life in the nearby town of Mbouda in the West Province. Having learned his art from Ignatious Nochai, a native of Yaoundé and the first photographer to work in Mbouda, he set up his own studio, Photo Jacques, and worked from 1959 to 2006. His surviving archive of about 50,000 images represents half of his output.

Photograph: Jacques Toussele’s Estate

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Possibly the children of Al Haji Idrissu, a Bamum merchant from Foumban

Joseph Chila was born near the town of Mbouda in 1948. A nephew of Jacques Toussele, he was introduced to photography as his apprentice. Chila then set up his own studio in the small town of Mayo Darlé, which was flourishing thanks to a local tin mine. Initially, he named his studio Young Photo PlayBoy, but soon switched to the more sober Photo Joseph. Chila established himself as one of the prominent photographers in the area and worked there until his retirement in the 1990s.

Photograph: Joseph Chila

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

Bebi Kangsua

Samuel Finlak was born in Bongor, Ngwa village, Mbem in 1958. Mbem is in the anglophone north-west region. Finlak largely taught himself photography, but also took a correspondence course. He moved to the village of Atta, in the francophone Adamawa region, setting up the only photographic studio for many miles. He took photos in Atta and nearby villages and hamlets and always preferred natural outdoor light to studio shoots.

Photograph: Samuel Finlak

[p-i-c]

(via Cameroon with a view: portraits from the post-colonial era – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian)

A new exhibition draws on the archives of three photographers: Joseph Chila, Samuel Finlak and the late Jacques Toussele. More than 100 black and white photographs are on view, illuminating the aspirations, allegiances, and beliefs of Cameroonian people during the post-independence era. Photo Cameroon: Studio Portraiture, 1970–1990s is at

The Fowler Museum, UCLA, Los Angeles

until 5 December, 2021

Photograph: Jacques Toussele’s Estate

[p-i-c]

(via Jacques Toussele (1939–2017) - Google Search)

Jacques Toussele est né en 1939 à Bamessingué, village situé entre Babadjou et Mbouda, dans la Région de l'Ouest du Cameroun. Il est mort à Douala le 30 juin 2017.[réf. nécessaire]

Il a appris la photographie auprès d'un photographe nigérian. Il travaillait à Bamenda pendant la Guerre bamiléké puis retourna à Mbouda, où il exerça son métier du milieu des années 1960 jusqu'au début des années 2000, au « Studio Photo Jacques ».

Ses œuvres figurent dans les collections du Metropolitan Museum of Art à New York et du Carleton College.

Son travail a fait partie du Endangered Archive Programme de la British Library.