Africa Is a Country

Rainer Elstermanns' "Photo Studio"

Rainer Elstermanns' "Photo Studio"

By
Sean Jacobs

[slideshow]

The German photographer, Rainer Elstermanns, imagined an old photo studio set in rural Kenya in his studio in Berlin. He dressed models in period costumes.  The result is a 17-minute film and a series of 40 recreations.  Elstermann writes that he was inspired by the work of the great African photographers and artists, Samuel Fosso and Malick Sidibe, as well as the American photographer, Irving Penn.

The result was exhibited in The Netherlands until earlier this week. (I am assuming it will come to the US soon.)

Information and more photographs: Here, here and here.

— Sean Jacobs

Further Reading

No one should be surprised we exist

The documentary film, ‘Rolé—Histórias dos Rolezinhos’ by Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Vladimir Seixas uses sharp commentary to expose social, political, and cultural inequalities within Brazilian society.

Kenya’s stalemate

A fundamental contest between two orders is taking place in Kenya. Will its progressives seize the moment to catalyze a vision for social, economic, and political change?

More than a building

The film ‘No Place But Here’ uses VR or 360 media to immerse a viewer inside a housing occupation in Cape Town. In the process, it wants to challenge gentrification and the capitalist logic of home ownership.