Studio Malick

Malick Sidibé (Malian, b. 1935 or 1936), The Two of Us on a Motorcycle, July 1970. © Malick Sidibé, Gwinzegal/ diChroma photography.

Cornell Fine Arts Museum – Winter Park

By Suzanne Cohen

“Studio Malick” displays a selection of the well-known black and white photographs of Malian artist Malick Sidibé in which he gathers a panorama of vignettes of his country’s society between the 1960s and 1980s. The photos capture a time of political transition, cultural liberation and the strengthening of the feeling of identity in this nation, right after its independence from France in 1960. Studio Malick is a clear look at the burgeoning culture that revolutionized Malian society in the second half of the 20th century, the birth of a revolution in fashion, music and dance in a West African country that until then had demonstrated a very conservative posture.

Studio Malick not only met its clients’ desire for self-representation and social status, but it also transcended the specific circumstances of that moment in history in order to provide an in-depth look at human psychology. This is a unique opportunity to see carefully selected works that typify the creative endeavors of this artist.

Through December 1, 2013.