without spending too much time reveling in the fact that i have taken a long blogging break, i will just say that life has been full of ups and downs, as well as personal milestones. always inspired, but not always focused enough to write its now back to business as usual. there is a lot to comment on, last week was paris photo’s first ever african edition if you will. a spotlight on the rising stars and legendary visual arts coming from the continent. malick sidibé was the guest of honor of the photo fair, and respectfully decored as officer of arts and letters via the 9th edition of recontres de bamako (biennale in mali). peep this link for more about the fair/ festival and artists involved. http://www.parisphoto.fr/actualites.html. 

last night, i found myself at the opening for leonce raphael agbodjelou at the jack bell gallery. a photographer after my own heart, he still shoots medium format (yes, film) and brings with him his own traveling studio. the gallery was full of colorful people, much like the masquerade images on display. agbodjelou’s body of work focused on the mystical traditions of the egungun in porto novo, the republic of benin. the images explored festival traditions which celebrate history, religion and public rituals. the photographs are illusive and inviting. the unknown identities of the egungun collective leave us to our imaginations and force us to take in the intricate detail of the costumes and the environment in which they stand. the life-sized images on display are definitely worth seeing. on view until december 17. 

leonce raphael agbodjelou, c/o jack bell gallery.