Angèle Etoundi Essamba
Angèle Etoundi Essamba
Angèle Etoundi Essamba is a Cameroonian photographer living and working in Amsterdam. She is most famously known for her work in black and white, humanistic photography, that often focuses on the African woman as a subject matter. Essamba is one of the most acclaimed and accomplished African female photographers of her generation, who has had more than 200 exhibitions around the world, and more th
"And is the image of African women you wish to convey the same as in the 90s? My message hasn’t changed. Stereotypes are still very much present. Even nowadays, people tend to be surprised with my works due to their preconception of the African continent and African women. In a way, all of my projects translate this wish to break away from stereotypes. Although I cannot change the world, I believe I can contribute to this evolution of mindsets."
"Living in Europe and the encounters I made around the world through exhibitions and travels definitely shaped my artwork. I arrived at a young age in Europe and rapidly felt disconnected from my culture and way of living. In a way, photography allowed me to reconnect with my African roots. At the end of the day, my heritage is African. Paradoxically, being abroad actually brought me closer to the African continent. This is why themes like communication, roots and communion are omnipresent in my artwork."
