Artist Statement
18-35mm
The title of the work stems from the range of the lens used in taking these shots. The name is befitting as the images documents the lives of a range of under and working class people during a travel between Senegal and Nigeria. The work captures the shape and form these individuals bring to their daily activities. As one familiar with the social stratification in West Africa, these shapes and forms are very different with what might be seen in the daily activities of the middle class.
This work is further continued in a series titled Blend If? with Photographer Daniel Effah that takes a strong views on social and cultural issues in the form of culture assimilated into Western society. In the course of holding on to our identity the tendency to see others as less than ourselves resulting from a lack shared values becomes clear. In order to humanize ourselves in the face of this harsh reality some ponder in the format below; Would I blend in better if….
* I took of my mask?
* I lost my accent?
* I changed my skin tone?
This series should fuel discussion on proper cultural assimilation without a loss of generality in the space (place/country) of interest.
