I have done it during a workshop teaching children how to use light for a portrait, and as it was a pandemic period, some of these children chose the Masks to represent the period.
Artist +-
Mohamed Keita
Born in the Ivory Coast in 1993, Keita found that he had to flee his country at the age of fourteen because of the civil war. He started a three year journey across Guinea, Mali, Algeria, Libya and Malta to finally arrive in Italy in 2010 at the age of seventeen.
Welcomed into a youth centre for refugees in Rome, Civico Zero, Keita learnt Italian, whilst he worked as a porter in a hotel. Thanks to his time at Civico Zero he discovered that he had an innate vocation for photography and thus began his artistic career. Thus, Keita enrolled himself at the Institute of Cinema and TV Roberto Rossellini.
For Keita, photography is a means of sharing, not just the artistic form but also memories of the past, describing the present and the encapsulation of the city and daily life, continuous change at times imperceptible. Today, Keita lives and works in Rome where he follows the young photographers of Civico Zero.
In 2017, Keita assisted in setting up two laboratories of photography for the children living in the outskirts of Bamako, Mali and Nairobi, Kenya on which he continues to work. The Pecci Museum in Prato, the Photolux Festival in Lucca, the 13th International Festival of Rome held in the MACRO Museum are amongst the most important institutions with which Keita has collaborated through workshops and/or exhibitions.
On Artvocate, Keita showcases eight photographs: four from Africa and four from Europe. These shots exhibit the artist's geographical movement now as a prolific photographer, while calling back to his past experiences of movement as a refugee. They map the hybrid identities and transference of cultural and social environments that refugees face in their displacement.
Donation +-
Based on our agreement with the artist, 15% of the pre-VAT price excluding frames will be donated to support the Fondazione Pianoterra Onlus.
Artwork Details +-
Print medium: Printed, using the giclée method, on Hahnemuhle Agave fine art paper. 70% of this unique, eco friendly paper is made from resource saving agave sisal fibres, cotton makes up the remaining 30%. Its delicately defined texture gives the subject a captivating sense of depth and impresses with a pleasant, soft feel. The premium matt coating guarantees outstanding reproduction of colour, sharp detail, deep blacks and optimum contrast. Agave is acid free, lignin free and free from optical brightening agent ("OBA").
Frame: Artwork is printed without a frame.
Shipping: Delivery duration is 4-7 business days within the UK, 7-10 business days across Continental Europe and 10-20 days for the rest of the world. Delivery to some countries will be subjected to additional import VAT and duties to be paid to the courier directly.