Camera Work Gallery Kantstraße 149 10623 Berlin Allemagne
Gallery CAMERA WORK in Berlin presents the exhibition »Africa« from the 26th of April until the 7th of July that provides an insight into the breathtaking landscape and wildlife as well as the culture of individual countries on the black continent. Problematic social circumstances are not ignored, like the photo reportages by Thomas Billhardt, Robert Lebeck and Oliver Jannsen show. They focus on the social upheavals after the colonial rule or the impact of the HIV pandemic.
The American artist Kurt Markus concentrates on the widths of the Sahara desert with a series of dune landscapes. Nick Brands' portraits of African animals reflect their natural dignity. Highlights of his shown works are »Drinking elephant« presented for the first time in the format of 142 x 185 cm, as well as the last available print of the photograph »Elephant wit Exploding dust«. In contrast, photographs by Peter Beard impressively illustrate his close connection to the African wilderness. He compliments his collages of photographs with drawings and text passages, often created with animal blood. Also very closely connected to Africa is Moroccan born Magnum- photographer Bruno Barbey. He returned to produce a new view of his home country in a colourful series.
A great interest for the tribe of the Nuba, inspired Leni Riefenstahl to take gracious photographs of the Sudanese native people in the 1960's. In the exhibition, these will be supplemented with portrait studies of Ethiopian tribes, the »Surma« and »Kara« photographed by Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher. Another highlight in this context is the work by Irving Penn that had been commissioned by »Vogue« in 1967 showing the »Dahomey Girls«.
Moreover, Robert Lebeck's most famous photograph, »der Degendieb«- an icon for the end of the colonial rule in Congo, will be shown along with never published vintage photographs in narrative closeness, for the first time. Finally Thomas Billhardts' presented photographs tell different stories and offer various facets of African life.
