Youssouf Sogodogo’s ongoing work, titled Hairstyles of Mali (Les Tresses du Mali), explores the craft and culture of hair braiding. Begun in the 1980s, the series is a response to the staged photographs characteristic of African photography’s “golden era” (1950s-80s). Sogodogo’s work sought to more authentically represent his lived experience. His images offer insight into an intimate moment between friends and family, while his macro lens captures the geometric and graphic aesthetic of the braids. The series is being shown for the first time in ten years by arts platform Black Shade Projects, a collective focussed on profiling photography and photo-based work from across Africa and the diaspora. Find the exhibition at the Ozwald Boateng store in London until 18 October.
