Thèmes

 
A visual ode to identity, spirituality and strength, effortlessly combining aesthetics and social engagement
 
A must for anyone wanting to understand how imagery shapes – and can change – our view of the world
 
With accompanying Thèmes exhibition in the Nederlands Fotomuseum
 
 
For 40 years Angèle Etoundi Essamba has been portraying black women as strong, proud and self-assured. Her photography is a visual ode to identity, spirituality and strength, effortlessly combining aesthetics and social engagement. Essamba breaks stereotypes, revealing a new, multilayered perspective of female and human existence.
 
In honour of her anniversary, her impressive oeuvre is finally being celebrated with a richly illustrated monograph. Featuring both colour and black-and-white works, personal artistic reflections and in-depth appraisals, this book offers an intimate and compelling view of her work. Thèmes is not only an artistic milestone, but also a necessary counterview within photography: female, African and engaged. A must for anyone wanting to understand how imagery creates − and can change − our world view.