Angèle Etoundi Essamba

**Angèle Etoundi Essamba** be Cameroonian photographer wey dey live den dey work insyd Amsterdam. She be most famously known for ein work insyd black den white, humanistic photography, wey often dey focus for de African woman as a subject matter. Essamba be one of de most acclaimed den accomplished African female photographers of ein generation, wey na she get more dan 200 exhibitions around de world, den more dan 50 publications insyd journals den magazines. Na she say dat *"Photography is for me a need, the need to express and to communicate. As long as the need will exist, I will create."*

## Biography
Na dem born Angèle Etoundi Essaamba insyd Douala, Cameroon insyd 1962, wey she grow up insyd Yaounde for ein grandpoppie ein compound. Insyd an interview plus Femi Akomolafe, she recall living plus a large community of aunts, uncles, nieces, bros, cousins, sisters, *"with everyone living in complete harmony devoid of strive"*. At 9-10 years old, she move go Paris plus ein poppie, wer na she live up thru wey she receive ein high school education. Then, by 1982, na she marry, wey she move go Amsterdam (Netherlands) wer she begin dey study photography at de Nederlandse Fotovak school (Dutch School for Professional Photography). Essamba later attend de Lyceum insyd Paris, wer she study philosophy, dance, den photography. She san return to Cameroon after nineteen years of wat she call a *"self-chosen exile"* insyd ein interview plus Femi Akomolafe.

She be associated plus DUTA, anaa Douala Urban Touch of Arts, wich dey allow Central African visual artists insyd Douala make dem share dema work. Essamba ein social awareness of both Europe den Africa lead am make she create de Foundation Essamba Home insyd 2009, wer she dey mentor street girls insyd Cameroon make dem build dema self-esteem den self-worth, personally dey give lessons, den dey teach skills make she help girlies insyd Cameroon improve dema living conditions den create careers for dema body.

## Photographic career
Essamba ein photography dey focus for de African women, den dey break gender stereotypes. She dey work make she inspire discussions between cultures den people, den dey give ein subject value den voice. Ein art no be influenced by modernism per, buh by ein African descent den ein countries diverse cultural environment. Drawing for ein personal experiences, history, culture, perspective den environmental influences, Essamba ein photographs dey combine technique plus a strong sense of emotion. Additionally, she dey defy de boundaries between realistic photography, social den political commentary, documentary den formal photography, while she dey display ein aesthetic vision of de black, female body.

Na ein first exhibition be insyd 1985 at de Gallerie Art Collective insyd Amsterdam. Ein 1995 series of black-and-white photographs, *White Line*, na dem award am de Prix Spécial Afrique at de Festival des Trois Continents, Nantes insyd 1996. She show ein works insyd chaw exhibitions insyd Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, de United Arab Emirates den de United States wey dey include: Bienal de La Habana (1994), Venice Biennale (1994), Johannesburg Biennale (1995), Festival of the Three Continents (1996).

Since de time of ein debut exhibition insyd Amsterdam insyd 1985, na dem show Essamba ein body of work at a variety of institutions, biennales, den fairs. Dese locations dey include Venice, Havana, Dakar, Johannesburg, den Bamako, along plus events across Africa, Europe, de United States, Cuba, Mexico, den China. Most recently, na she hold monographic exhibitions of ein work *Daughters of a Life* insyd Munich, at de Museum Fünf Kontinente insyd 2018.

## References



## External links
* Angele Etoundi Essamba's Artist Website
* (insyd Spanish) Artículo de El País
* (insyd Spanish) Entrevista e información