Burkinab茅 music, dance and youth culture captured by photographer Sanl茅 Sory
- Published
A new London exhibition and photo book features the work of photographer Sanl茅 Sory, showing young dancers and musicians in Burkina Faso between 1965 and 1980.
Surprise party en ville (Surprise party in town), 1974
Sory spent much of his career at his photo studio in western Burkina Faso, working in the daytime.
At night, he would visit remote villages along the Kou Valley, north-west of the city of Bobo-Dioulasso, to capture flourishing music scenes.
The parties would last until after sunrise, at which point the farmers and herders would head straight back to work to tend their fields and cattle.
"Life was cheap and everyone could have a ball. You could always go out and have some fun," Sory said.
Here is a selection of some of the work from the exhibition and photo book called Peuple de la Nuit.
Les jeunes danseurs de Sikasso Sira (The young dancers of the Sikasso Sira neighbourhood), 1972
Le diable noir (The black devil), 1975
Le quart d'heure rumba 脿 la soir茅e priv茅e (Fifteen minutes of rumba at a private party), 1977
Le malien et ses chaussures t锚tes de n猫gre (The Malian and his black platform shoes), 1975
Lunettes nocturnes (Night glasses), 1977
Le musicien (The musician), 1967
Les deux amoureux de Dogona (The two lovers of Dogona), 1972
Les danseurs de makossa (Makossa music dancers), 1976
Valse 脿 Bobo (Waltz in Bobo), 1968
The photo book Peuple de la Nuit is published by .
The exhibition is at the David Hill Gallery in London from 5 April until 31 May 2019.
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