adminYeukai Karengezeka Entertainment Reporter
A unique solo photographic exhibition dubbed “Africa is a Great Country” showcasing works by Jens Assur from Sweden opened on Thursday at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.
The photographer and film maker’s art work portrays Africa in a positive way diverting from the common mentality that Africa is characterised by war, famine and disease.
With a unique approach and superb attention to detail, Assur gives the modern and urban Africa.
With a goal to challenge the image of Africa that dominates media Assur has visited 12 African metropolitans to give a different perspective on this great continent.
An image of an Africa that is moving forward and developing is depicted in pictures like of a person standing on the street corner in Dar es Salaam, images from Botswana’s airport and Monrovia market place in Liberia
“We are constantly fed with images of how Africa is dying but I want to show how Africa lives. I prefer to take a step back and look at the context that people live in,” said Assur.
Through 40 super sized images (2.5 x 3.5 meters) Assur depicts the hyper urbanisation; a raising middle class and the mind blowing architecture, infrastructure and development of some of the largest metropolitan areas. Assur’s use of the large format camera’s exceptional precision and scope draws the audience into each image. Speaking at the opening, Sweden Ambassador to Zimbabwe Lars Ronnas said he was happy to revive the artistic relationship between the two countries.
“It has been a long time we last had an artistic relationship with Zimbabwe and we want to build on this relationship,” he said.
Assur has won numerous awards like Press Photographer of the year, Picture of the Year and Grand Prix at Tribeca Film Festival. He spent most of the 90’s working as a press photographer in developing countries, covering events that took place in Africa during that time.
Online Reporter