Oumar Ly

Portraits de brousse

Oumar Ly

Portraits de brousse
These are: a woven straw mat, a man spreading his arms wide boubou, and the white door of the 2CV photographer … that make up the cobbled staged by Oumar Ly when traveling in the villages. It begins with simple shots of identity. Then the villagers in this region of northern Senegal, who discovered in the early 60’s photography, invites everyone to realize the family portraits.
The “mat” is used, and to isolate what seems unmanageable under: Outside insignificant and unnecessary. Instinctively, therefore, in the manner of certain representations of Our Lady of the Renaissance, the photographer breaks the prospect that keep the main subject to a background tension between the landscape and the lens.
The modest accessories, a stool, a plastic bucket of grain or a wall of mud, eventually to carry the portrait of family and whole village. They imagine, several behind the photographer, came to show the photo.
Coproducer
Marie-Louise & Fils - Service de Coopération et d'Action Culturelle de l'ambassade de France au Sénégal - La souris du le gâteau
Released
26/10/2009
Collection
Hors Collection
Format
175 x 175
Anglais/Français
Relié couverture cartonnée et molletonnée
145 photos duo tone
172 pages
ISBN : 978-2-35046-184-7
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Press review

Oumar Ly

Portraits de brousse

Oumar Ly

Photographe

Was born in 1943 in Podor, Senegal, where he lives and works. Nothing predestined this son of a marabout in the profession of photographer. Any chance of an encounter with a French soldier he discovered photography. Soon the young Ly bought his first camera. In 1963, he opened the studio Thioffy. Its archives are undeniably rich heritage. Emphasized by the Association Marie-Louise & Son, Portrait of the bush.
Frédérique Chapuis est journaliste à Télérama, auteur et commissaire d’exposition. Elle a beaucoup écrit sur des artistes africains ou ayant travaillés en Afrique. Il y a quelques années elle a découvert ce photographe Oumar Ly a Podor au Sénégal.