Gelatin silver print
In this image, contemporary photographer Essamba pairs the face of a woman with that of a mask. In contrast to the woman’s neutral expression, the mask appears to come alive. While the woman looks beyond the image’s frame, the mask turns toward her. A slice of its concave side—visible through the eyehole—becomes its pupil. The upturn of its lips gives the impression of a slight smile. Dedicated to representing her African heritage, Essamba exemplifies in her photograph the enduring influence of African sculptural forms and their legacy in the history of twentieth-century art.
520: Présence Africaine, 2025
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Présence Africaine
Gallery 520In the 1930s and 1940s, Paris was a mecca for Black artists, writers, musicians, and intellectuals from around the world.
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