Samuel Fosso

**Samuel Fosso** (born July 17, 1962) be a Cameroonian-born Nigerian photographer wey work give most of ein career insyd de Central African Republic. Ein work dey include he dey use self-portraits wey dey adopt a series of personas, often dey comment for de history of Africa. One of ein most famous works of art, den wat he be best known for, be ein "autoportraits" wer he dey take either einself anaa oda more recognizable people den dey draw dem insyd a style of popular culture anaa politics. He be recognized as one of Central Africa ein leading contemporary artists.

He win de Prince Claus Award from de Netherlands insyd 2001 den de Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize insyd 2023.

## Early life
Na dem born Fosso insyd Kumba, Cameroon, to Nigerian parents. He grow up insyd Afikpo, ein ancestral home, til he for flee to Bangui insyd de Central African Republic for de age of thirteen insyd 1972 insyd de wake of de Nigerian Civil War.

## Career
Insyd Bangui he begin dey work as an assistant photographer wen na he be twelve, den a year later as a portrait photographer plus ein own studio insyd Bangui, 'Studio Photo Nationale'. Initially he make self-portraits make he fill up de unused parts of ein photographic films. Na he destine dese photographs give ein mommie, wey na she stay behind insyd Nigeria. De making of self-portraits cam turn an objective for ein own give am.

As a teenager wey dey work insyd de studio Fosso often go take colorful self portraits for between client photo shoots. Na dem discover ein work by a collection of African intellectuals den writers wey dey include Okwui Enwezor den Iké Udé, wey dem bring Fosso into a more active role insyd de art community for ein adult career.

Insyd 1994 Fosso cam be known abroad wen he win de first edition of African Photography Encounters insyd Bamako, Mali.

Fosso dey explore de idea of self-presentation den gender representation, wey dey experiment plus props, costumes, den poses insyd flamboyant 1970s fashion. For ein self-portraits he use a delayed shutter release wey dey allow Fosso up to ten seconds make e pose give each photograph. He often use cloth backgrounds, in front of wich he dress up insyd costumes wey vary greatly: authentic European costumes, African folk costumes, navy uniforms, karate keikogis, boxer shorts, den so on.

Na he portray Angela Davis, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. den oda black iconic figures. Insyd ein series *African Spirits*, Fosso dey convey empowerment den de art of storytelling thru ein self portraits of celebrated black figures.

For February 5, 2014, amidst looting after sectarian violence, Fosso ein home studio insyd Bangui, wey dey contain ein complete archive, na dem ransack. Na dis be discovered by chance by photojournalist Jerome Delay, wey, along plus fellow photojournalist Marcus Bleasdale, den Peter Bouckaert (Emergency Director for Human Rights Watch), rescue de majority of ein contents, dem estimate for 20,000 negatives den 150 to 200 prints, though na dem steal Fosso ein cameras. Na Fosso dey insyd Paris for de time.

## Awards
*1994: 1st Prize, African Photography Encounters (Rencontres de la Photographie), Bamako, Mali
*1995: Prix Afrique en Creations
*2000: First Prize, photography category, Dak'Art – Biennale de l'Art Africain Contemporain, Dakar, Sénégal
*2001: Prince Claus Award, Netherlands
*2010: 1st Prize in Visual Arts Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds
*2023: Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize for ein exhibition *Samuel Fosso* for de Maison européenne de la photographie
## Publications
**Samuel Fosso. Seydou Keita. Malick Sidibe. Portraits of Pride. West African Portrait Photography*. Raster Forlag, 2003. .
*Maria Francesca and Guido Schlinkert. *Samuel Fosso*. 5Continents, 2008. .
*Simon Njami and Samuel Fosso. *Samuel Fosso – PHotoBolsillo International*, Revue Noire, 2011. .
## Collections
Na dem hold Fosso ein work insyd de public collections wey dey follow:

* Museum of Modern Art, New York: 14 prints (as of September 2018)
* Purdy Hicks Gallery, London: 15 prints
* The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: 7 prints (as of June 2020)
* Tate, London: 25 prints

## References


## External links

* Noorderlicht, photo impression Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine