We are experiencing the turmoil of a worldwhere wars are raging not far from home. Edgar Morin writes that this life is only bearable if we introduce poetry into it, that is to say, intensity, celebration, joy, and communion.
This is what the prodigious Malick Sidibé, born in 1935 in the small village of Soloba, Mali, far from Bamako, offers us today.“I am a true witness to the changes that have marked the country. Photography does not lie, at least in black and white. I believe that my photography is much more authentic, real, and direct than any words. It is simple, accessible to all, and it tells the story of an era without deception,” said Malick. Beyond their historical dimension, his photographs become moments of pure poetry. Ten years after his passing, we want to celebrate Malick through the sublime poses he gave us, more than 40iconic, emblematic, or remarkable images, an anthology of moments of joy, hope, and beauty.
Malick loved to talk about that era of new freedoms, care free living, and joy that he shared with all young people. Young people organized themselves into clubs: the As club, the Zazous club, the Chats Sauvages club...He would signal his arrival at parties with a flash of light. “Malick is here, the photographer has arrived!” And the party could begin. The atmosphere was immediately set. Malick had an objective and generous eye. He sought out beautiful poses, transporting himself into his subjects to capture the most authentic images. Regardez-moi, Danser le Twist, and Nuit de Noël are moments stolen from time. He stole moments of truth and dreams of infinite sweetness and tenderness. “At that time, young people loved the twist and rock ‘n’roll; it allowed them to get closer, to touch eachother.” Malick communicated his joy. He loved young people, and young people loved him. All his work comes from there, from that love.
Malick Sidibé has traveled the world with his photographs and received every honor andaward, including the Hasselblad Award in 2003. He is the first African artist to receive it. In 2007, Malick was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale for his entire body of work, andin 2017, he will be the subject of the Mali Twist retrospective at the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain. Malick has left us. Ten years have passed. The new Fondation Cartier pays tribute to him in its General Exhibition. Across the Atlantic, New York’s MoMA is hosting an exhibition dedicated to African photography, highlighting how it embodies dignity, pride,and cultural heritage. That’s Malick for you!
