For its opening show, Galerie Gomis presents an intergenerational celebration of the
creativity and style of African youth. In Intersections of Africa Youth, the
photographic works of Sanlé Sory (b. 1943, Burkina Faso) and Kyle Weeks (b. 1992,
Namibia) stretch beyond their respective eras to capture the timelessness of African
elegance.
Sory’s exuberant portraits immortalised his subjects’ embrace of enjoyment and
modernity as his nation gained independence in 1960 and continued to flourish into
the 1970s. Similarly, Weeks, inspired by masters such as Sory, has dedicated his
practice to honouring the energy and agency of young people across the continent,
especially in Ghana.
Times and technologies have changed. Nevertheless then, as now, negative and
ahistorical representations of Africa have pervaded in mainstream media. These two
artists find common ground not only in their ability to create uplifting images
brimming with sartorial flair but also in their commitment to promoting everyday
Africa in a positive and gentle light.
Sanlé Sory x Kyle Weeks: Intersections of Africa Youth, 7 September – 28 October,
2023 at Galerie Gomis, Brussels
Voltaïc Intersection
A collaborative iteration of show opens at David Hill Gallery in London. Hill
represents Sory and is a long-time friend of Gomis. Titled Voltaïc intersection, the
exhibition continues to evolve the conversation between two artists and two cities.
"I am excited to work with Kyle Weeks – one of the most striking and individual
African image-makers today – and Galerie Gomis, the leading European supporter of
contemporary African photography. Presenting their work alongside each other
provides the viewer an opportunity to see both the similarities and differences in
their styles. Shot decades apart, from post-independence Bobo-Dioulasso to 21st
century Accra, the exhibition illustrates the rich creative vision that flows so strongly
through the Voltaic region," says Hill.
Sanlé Sory x Kyle Weeks: Voltaïc intersection, 28 September – 31 December at
David Hill Gallery, London
Galerie Gomis
Born into a Senegalese family in the northern districts of Marseille, Marie Gomis-
Trezise became France’s first Black A&R at a major record company. She
discovered her love for photography while shaping her artists’ sound and image,
which served as the foundation for her vision to bring visibility to a new wave of
photographers from the African diaspora and the global South. She launched
Galerie Number 8 in 2016 as a ground-breaking online platform helping to launch
the careers of major talents at art fairs and festivals around the world. And in 2020
she joined Nataal magazine as creative director.
Now it’s time for a new chapter with the opening of Galerie Gomis as a physical
space in the heart of Brussels. This name change reflects Marie’s personal
commitment to nurturing the most revolutionary lens-based artists and her own
professional evolution in step with the roster she represents.
The choice of the colour purple is an allusion to the rain of the same name,
symbolising the hidden aspects of our identities. It underscores the belief that our
individuality transcends our race, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.
What truly matters is embracing our differences, as they represent the most
profound diaspora in the history of humanity.
About Sanlé Sory
Sanlé Sory (b. 1943; Nianiagara, Burkina Faso) opened his studio, Volta Photo, in
1960, the same year his country (then called Upper Volta) began its transition to
independence. He worked as regional reporter, event photographer and record
sleeve illustrator but has become best known as Bobo-Dioulasso's finest studio
photographer. His use of painted backdrops, props and accessories allowed his
subjects, mainly Fula, Malian and Voltaic youths, to have fun and “make the picture
their own”. His works are now in the collections of Minneapolis Institute of Art; Art
Institute of Chicago; North Carolina Museum of Art; RISD Museum and the Tang
Museum at Skidmore College.
About Kyle Weeks
Kyle Weeks (b. 1992, Namibia) studied at Stellenbosch Academy, began his career
in Cape Town and is currently based in Amsterdam. Subverting photography’s
normative conventions, upending the historical power dynamics of picture-taking,
and honouring the authenticity of his subjects represent key aspects of his practice.
A recipient of the Magnum Prize in 2016, and named amongst The British Journal of
Photography’s Ones to Watch in 2019, Weeks has also exhibited at art fairs such as
1-54 and Photo London, and his images have appeared in publications including i-
D, Dazed, M le Monde and Self Service. In 2023 he published his first photo book,
Good News, a culmination of six years shooting Ghana’s fluid youth culture.
