<I>Maison Dorcas Women’s Singing Group</I>
date: label: Date
content: 2016; printed 2019
name: label: Photograph by
content: Platon, British, born 1968
label: Subject of
content: Unidentified Woman or Women
label: Subject of
content: Nabintu Bigosi
label: Subject of
content: Nvunanwa Zirimwaga
label: Subject of
content: Maison Dorcas, Congolese
label: Subject of
content: Panzi Hospital, Congolese, founded 1999
notes: label: Description
content: A color photograph of the Maison Dorcas Women’s Singing Group, by Platon. The photograph depicts a group of women joyfully singing against a blue sky background. There are twelve visible, or partially visible, women in the photograph standing in two rows. Most of the women appear to be singing and several have their hands raised above their heads. There are seven women standing in the first row, in the foreground. The woman on the far left is wearing a red daishiki tunic top with gold embellishments at the neckline, a matching long skirt and red headscarf her hair. Both of her hands are raised in the air, she has a happy expression on her face, and her mouth is open as if singing. The woman to her right is wearing a yellow, long sleeve blouse and a pink and yellow ankle length, Ankara fabric skirt with a repeating diamond and plaid pattern. Her proper right hand is raised, her chin is lifted, and she is looking upwards and towards the left. She has a happy expression on her face and her mouth is open as if singing. To the right of her is a woman standing with her arms at her sides. She is smiling and looking upwards. She is wearing a light gray and white, short sleeve shirt and a gold and white, ankle length, Ankara fabric skirt with a repeating black and blue stripe and swirl pattern. Just left of center is a woman standing with her hands at her sides and smiling slightly as she looks upwards. She is wearing a blue, white, yellow, and green Ankara fabric dress with a rectangular patchwork pattern and a primarily blue and white headscarf. Just right of center is a woman standing with her hands resting on the side of her thighs. She is wearing a green ankle length Ankara fabric dress with a blue snake pattern with a primarily gold and black headscarf. She is looking up and Her mouth is open as if singing. To the right is Nvunanwa Zirimwaga, wearing a red Ankara fabric dress with a yellow, black, and gold concentric circular patterns overlaid with and pattern of gold bead strands. Zirimwaga is also wearing a green and pink headscarf, a white rosary, and a black crochet pouch around her neck. She is facing the viewer, her eyes are partially closed, and her mouth is open is if singing. On the far right is the seventh woman, Nabintu Bigosi. Bigosi is wearing a black Ankara fabric dress with a large white flower pattern and a brown and white head scarf. Her hands are held palms up at chest level, her head is turned towards her proper right shoulder, her eyes are closed, and her mouth is open as if singing. The women are standing on walkway paved with white, roughly circular stones. Behind them is a dark blue sky with large white clouds. The photograph has a thick white border. The edition number, [5/12], is printed in the bottom left corner. The photographer’s signature and date, [Platon 19], is handwritten in the bottom right corner. Inside the border, at the bottom center, is the photographer’s embossed mark: [PLATON ? / EDITIONED ? / PRINT ?[encircled between two bands of embossed dots]]. The back of the photograph is plain and white.
place: label: Place printed
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
label: Place captured
content: Bukavu, Sud-Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Catholicism
label: Topic
content: Health
label: Topic
content: Humanitarianism
label: Topic
content: Mental health
label: Topic
content: Music
label: Topic
content: Photography
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: Violence
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Photographs and Still Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Platon
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2021.33.72
objectType: label: Type
content: pigment prints
label: Type
content: portraits
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Platon
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: pigment on paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (image): 15 1/4 × 21 1/2 in. (38.7 × 54.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (sheet): 20 × 24 in. (50.8 × 61 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)