| Photographer Seydou Keïta (ca. 1921-2003) is known in his native country of Mali as the great “image maker of Africa.” From 1949 to 1964, Keïta ran a portrait studio in his hometown of Bamako, the capital of Mali. His reputation grew, and he eventually made thousands of photographs of individuals, reflecting the traditions and changing culture of mid-twentieth century West African society. The DIA has recently acquired ten of his photographs.
Keïta was given a camera as a young child and taught himself photographic techniques as well as the art of portraiture. He operated his studio in the backyard of his home, using natural lighting and a bedspread as a backdrop for his portraits. Keïta credited his success and reputation to his understanding of the sitters’ desire to appear at their very best. He had them select a pose from portraits hanging in his studio and offered clothing, accessories, and props for their use. But many individuals arrived at his busy studio dressed in their finest attire; some are pictured in traditional African or modern clothing, and others combined both indigenous and Western elements.
Keïta’s studio attracted government officials and dignitaries, as well as family members and friends. It was located not far from the train station, where the photographer often sent assistants with samples of his work. He knew the city of Bamako was a central hub for those traveling to and from Dakar, Senegal. Bamako boasted one of the largest trading markets in West Africa, and was home to a zoo, a movie theater, and a central prison. Keïta’s thousands of images form a collective portrait of an emerging cosmopolitan society in the years leading to Mali’s independence from French colonial rule in 1960.
After 1964, Keïta closed his studio and worked for a government agency. His portraits were left undiscovered until the early 1990s, when Western cultural interests turned to the global scene. He has since become internationally recognized as a master of the photographic portrait. The ten photographs were acquired as a joint venture between the Department of Graphic Arts and the Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Indigenous Americas with added support from William and Ellen Kahn.
Nancy Barr, Associate Curator
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Untitled #110
Untitled #131
Untitled #277
Untitled #336
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