Samuel Fosso (Photofile) – Christine Barthe

Cameroonian-born Samuel Fosso is one of Central Africa’s leading contemporary artists, whose playful and perceptive work investigates Pan-African identity and history through the use of portraiture. Renowned for his ‘autoportraits’, in which he styles himself and others as characters from popular culture or politics, Fosso reflects the world around him through a distinct and sometimes controversial aesthetic. Against carefully crafted backdrops he experiments confidently with props, poses and costumes.