[Applause] hi can you believe that in 2017 some
hi can you believe that in 2017 some
hi can you believe that in 2017 some people still think Africa is a country
people still think Africa is a country
people still think Africa is a country it’s funny well it’s true the
it’s funny well it’s true the
it’s funny well it’s true the representation of the African continent
representation of the African continent
representation of the African continent on a global scale has always been
on a global scale has always been
on a global scale has always been one-dimensional say the least
impoverished underdeveloped this is
impoverished underdeveloped this is ridden or some of the most common
ridden or some of the most common
ridden or some of the most common characteristics that I’ve been used by
characteristics that I’ve been used by
characteristics that I’ve been used by global mainstream media to describe the
global mainstream media to describe the
global mainstream media to describe the African continent as a whole or at the
African continent as a whole or at the
African continent as a whole or at the very least it’s what they seem to be
very least it’s what they seem to be
very least it’s what they seem to be focusing on the most and because there
focusing on the most and because there
focusing on the most and because there is the only way for them to visualize it
is the only way for them to visualize it
is the only way for them to visualize it photography became a way to inform and
photography became a way to inform and
photography became a way to inform and influence the ways in which people were
influence the ways in which people were
influence the ways in which people were thinking about Africa all across the
thinking about Africa all across the
thinking about Africa all across the globe the relationship between Africa
globe the relationship between Africa
globe the relationship between Africa and photography started during colonial
and photography started during colonial
and photography started during colonial times which began towards the end of the
times which began towards the end of the
times which began towards the end of the 19th century back then photography was
19th century back then photography was
19th century back then photography was used to describe and classify people
used to describe and classify people
used to describe and classify people under colonial domination but also to
under colonial domination but also to
under colonial domination but also to record information about African
record information about African
record information about African architecture by rituals and other
architecture by rituals and other
architecture by rituals and other cultural artifacts and many early
cultural artifacts and many early
cultural artifacts and many early photographs of Africans were typed
photographs of Africans were typed
photographs of Africans were typed photographs which were very similar to
photographs which were very similar to
photographs which were very similar to modern-day mug shots and these type
modern-day mug shots and these type
modern-day mug shots and these type photographs were used as scientific
photographs were used as scientific
photographs were used as scientific evidence to prove Africans
evidence to prove Africans
evidence to prove Africans anthropological inferiority compared to
anthropological inferiority compared to
anthropological inferiority compared to Europeans which served as one of the
Europeans which served as one of the
Europeans which served as one of the justification to the colonization of the
justification to the colonization of the
justification to the colonization of the continents and through photography
continents and through photography
continents and through photography Africa was also depicted as primitive
Africa was also depicted as primitive
Africa was also depicted as primitive which served as the binary other to the
which served as the binary other to the
which served as the binary other to the West’s technological evolution
West’s technological evolution
West’s technological evolution and development so : no photography took
and development so : no photography took
and development so : no photography took Africans agency away from them and
Africans agency away from them and
Africans agency away from them and prevented them from being able to tell
prevented them from being able to tell
prevented them from being able to tell their own stories these photographs have
their own stories these photographs have
their own stories these photographs have influenced the way people think about
influenced the way people think about
influenced the way people think about Africa all across the globe and the
Africa all across the globe and the
Africa all across the globe and the message is communicated in these images
message is communicated in these images
message is communicated in these images or still considered facts by some people
or still considered facts by some people
or still considered facts by some people today
fortunately Africans started to take
fortunately Africans started to take photos themselves to document their
photos themselves to document their
photos themselves to document their daily lives and culture and what was
daily lives and culture and what was
daily lives and culture and what was previously used as a way to objectify
previously used as a way to objectify
previously used as a way to objectify and dehumanize them now turned into a
and dehumanize them now turned into a
and dehumanize them now turned into a tool that finally gave them the ability
tool that finally gave them the ability
tool that finally gave them the ability to control their own narratives so many
to control their own narratives so many
to control their own narratives so many photographers like Malik CD Bay and
photographers like Malik CD Bay and
photographers like Malik CD Bay and syndicator among many others I’ve
syndicator among many others I’ve
syndicator among many others I’ve created works that depicted Africans in
created works that depicted Africans in
created works that depicted Africans in the more nuanced diverse and dignified
the more nuanced diverse and dignified
the more nuanced diverse and dignified way which started to change the way
way which started to change the way
way which started to change the way people were thinking about the continent
people were thinking about the continent
people were thinking about the continent the Internet has made it possible for
the Internet has made it possible for
the Internet has made it possible for many more stories about Africa to be
many more stories about Africa to be
many more stories about Africa to be told by many more photographers whose
told by many more photographers whose
told by many more photographers whose work could now reach anybody in the
work could now reach anybody in the
work could now reach anybody in the world in a matter of minutes this led to
world in a matter of minutes this led to
world in a matter of minutes this led to even more positive images of the
even more positive images of the
even more positive images of the continent to spread more easily across
continent to spread more easily across
continent to spread more easily across the globe which changed even further
the globe which changed even further
the globe which changed even further their perception of Africa on a global
their perception of Africa on a global
their perception of Africa on a global scale
scale
scale and despite certain practices and
and despite certain practices and
and despite certain practices and stereotypes from the colonial
stereotypes from the colonial
stereotypes from the colonial photography era still being reduced to
photography era still being reduced to
photography era still being reduced to this day African photographers thanks to
this day African photographers thanks to
this day African photographers thanks to the Internet I’ve been able to offer
the Internet I’ve been able to offer
the Internet I’ve been able to offer other alternatives to this narrative by
other alternatives to this narrative by
other alternatives to this narrative by depicting an Africa that is both
depicting an Africa that is both
depicting an Africa that is both culturally diverse and complex for
culturally diverse and complex for
culturally diverse and complex for instance I come from Gabon which is a
instance I come from Gabon which is a
instance I come from Gabon which is a small country in Central Africa I know
small country in Central Africa I know
small country in Central Africa I know many people I’ve never heard of and as a
many people I’ve never heard of and as a
many people I’ve never heard of and as a photographer myself the Internet has
photographer myself the Internet has
photographer myself the Internet has allowed me to show where I come from to
allowed me to show where I come from to
allowed me to show where I come from to an audience that probably wouldn’t have
an audience that probably wouldn’t have
an audience that probably wouldn’t have known such a place existed otherwise it
known such a place existed otherwise it
known such a place existed otherwise it allowed me to pay
allowed me to pay
allowed me to pay it’s a different and maybe new side of
it’s a different and maybe new side of
it’s a different and maybe new side of the continents the way I experienced it
the continents the way I experienced it
the continents the way I experienced it myself every day growing up a lot of my
myself every day growing up a lot of my
myself every day growing up a lot of my work also focuses on highlighting the
work also focuses on highlighting the
work also focuses on highlighting the diversity and African identities and how
diversity and African identities and how
diversity and African identities and how these identities are created through the
these identities are created through the
these identities are created through the intersections of different factors like
intersections of different factors like
intersections of different factors like gender culture and even social economic
gender culture and even social economic
gender culture and even social economic status and I chose this topic
status and I chose this topic
status and I chose this topic specifically to show that Africa is not
specifically to show that Africa is not
specifically to show that Africa is not a monolith and unlike what a lot of
a monolith and unlike what a lot of
a monolith and unlike what a lot of people in the West seem to be thinking
people in the West seem to be thinking
people in the West seem to be thinking there is not just one African identity
there is not just one African identity
there is not just one African identity or culture but while I believe that it
or culture but while I believe that it
or culture but while I believe that it is very important to spread positive
is very important to spread positive
is very important to spread positive images of the continent as much as we
images of the continent as much as we
images of the continent as much as we can I believe that it is even more
can I believe that it is even more
can I believe that it is even more important to be honest because things
important to be honest because things
important to be honest because things like corruption oppressive political
like corruption oppressive political
like corruption oppressive political regimes and gendered violence but things
regimes and gendered violence but things
regimes and gendered violence but things that are still setting the continent
that are still setting the continent
that are still setting the continent backwards and preventing it from being
backwards and preventing it from being
backwards and preventing it from being able to Alicia’s full potential
able to Alicia’s full potential
able to Alicia’s full potential many photographers have used their work
many photographers have used their work
many photographers have used their work as a platform to start conversations
as a platform to start conversations
as a platform to start conversations around the social issues and some how
around the social issues and some how
around the social issues and some how may work about the way certain African
may work about the way certain African
may work about the way certain African communities treat women or LGBT
communities treat women or LGBT
communities treat women or LGBT communities for instance in the hopes of
communities for instance in the hopes of
communities for instance in the hopes of moving the collective thinking forward
moving the collective thinking forward
moving the collective thinking forward and changing the way we treat these
and changing the way we treat these
and changing the way we treat these marginalized communities in Africa and
marginalized communities in Africa and
marginalized communities in Africa and Beyond another continent where the media
Beyond another continent where the media
Beyond another continent where the media is very often controlled by the
is very often controlled by the
is very often controlled by the oppressive political regimes in power
oppressive political regimes in power
oppressive political regimes in power photography also becomes a way to
photography also becomes a way to
photography also becomes a way to re-establish the truth and present
re-establish the truth and present
re-establish the truth and present events as they actually happens for
events as they actually happens for
events as they actually happens for instance presidential elections happened
instance presidential elections happened
instance presidential elections happened in my home country Gabon back in August
in my home country Gabon back in August
in my home country Gabon back in August 2016 and despite everything pointing out
2016 and despite everything pointing out
2016 and despite everything pointing out to the leader of the Opposition being
to the leader of the Opposition being
to the leader of the Opposition being the winner the government in power still
the winner the government in power still
the winner the government in power still won after poorly cheating and falsifying
won after poorly cheating and falsifying
won after poorly cheating and falsifying the number of votes as they always do
the number of votes as they always do
the number of votes as they always do and these results led to several
and these results led to several
and these results led to several protests across the country which were
protests across the country which were
protests across the country which were violently received by the police who
violently received by the police who
violently received by the police who started to shoot at the unarmed
started to shoot at the unarmed
started to shoot at the unarmed protesters and despite the government
protesters and despite the government
protesters and despite the government telling both local and international
telling both local and international
telling both local and international news outlets that everything was fine
photography was able to show the
photography was able to show the violence that had been inflicted upon
violence that had been inflicted upon
violence that had been inflicted upon this population that was doing nothing
this population that was doing nothing
this population that was doing nothing more but asking the government to
more but asking the government to
more but asking the government to respect their votes these photographs
respect their votes these photographs
respect their votes these photographs showed the true nature of this
showed the true nature of this
showed the true nature of this government to people both in and outside
government to people both in and outside
government to people both in and outside the country which resulted in several
the country which resulted in several
the country which resulted in several protests across the globe in several
protests across the globe in several
protests across the globe in several cities in France but also in places like
cities in France but also in places like
cities in France but also in places like New York Houston and even Ottawa in
New York Houston and even Ottawa in
New York Houston and even Ottawa in Montreal so photography was not only
Montreal so photography was not only
Montreal so photography was not only able to show the violence of an
able to show the violence of an
able to show the violence of an oppressive political regime but most
oppressive political regime but most
oppressive political regime but most importantly the strength and resilience
importantly the strength and resilience
importantly the strength and resilience of a nation finally standing up against
of a nation finally standing up against
of a nation finally standing up against oppression and violence the way we have
oppression and violence the way we have
oppression and violence the way we have been thinking about Africa has been
been thinking about Africa has been
been thinking about Africa has been changing since the 19th century mainly
changing since the 19th century mainly
changing since the 19th century mainly because of photography and more recently
because of photography and more recently
because of photography and more recently the internet and what was previously
the internet and what was previously
the internet and what was previously thought to be a primitive land is now
thought to be a primitive land is now
thought to be a primitive land is now starting to be seen as a place full of
starting to be seen as a place full of
starting to be seen as a place full of diversity and potential with strong and
diversity and potential with strong and
diversity and potential with strong and resilient people fighting for what they
resilient people fighting for what they
resilient people fighting for what they believe is right and one thing the
believe is right and one thing the
believe is right and one thing the colonial photography era are showing us
colonial photography era are showing us
colonial photography era are showing us is how easy it is to spread false
is how easy it is to spread false
is how easy it is to spread false narratives about an entire continent so
narratives about an entire continent so
narratives about an entire continent so in the spirit of this year’s team for
in the spirit of this year’s team for
in the spirit of this year’s team for the conference let’s all remember to
the conference let’s all remember to
the conference let’s all remember to stay open-minded and to never let the
stay open-minded and to never let the
stay open-minded and to never let the media control the way we think about
media control the way we think about
media control the way we think about certain parts of the world now more than
certain parts of the world now more than
certain parts of the world now more than ever let’s all remember that people can
ever let’s all remember that people can
ever let’s all remember that people can be as complex and layered in places like
be as complex and layered in places like
be as complex and layered in places like Africa and the Middle East for instance
Africa and the Middle East for instance
Africa and the Middle East for instance as they are in Europe and North America
as they are in Europe and North America
as they are in Europe and North America let’s all remember to stay open-minded
let’s all remember to stay open-minded
let’s all remember to stay open-minded because what we see in photographs is
because what we see in photographs is
because what we see in photographs is not always the whole truth thank you
”
Be First to Comment