Studio Malick

Malick Sidibé’s exuberant photographs offer a unique look at a time of political transition and cultural liberation. As Mali gained independence from France in 1960, the youth culture of music, dancing, and fashion exploded in this once-conservative West African nation and Sidibé’s ubiquitous lens chronicled it all. Through the use of props, posing, and a deft attention to personality, he developed a distinct style, fulfilling his clients’ aspirational self-presentation and achieving international recognition for these beautiful and nuanced studies of human character.

Studio Malick was organized by the DePaul Art Museum in collaboration with Gwinzegal/diChroma Photography, Spain. The exhibition traveled from the Cornell to the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College in spring 2014.