The new Dikan Center in Ghana displays a collection of photography from across Africa
Helen Saulnier
4 min read
In Susan Sontag’s well-identified essay “On Pictures,” she wrote that, “To obtain photographs is to collect the world.”
The collections of photographs that many people see are often curated by men and women steeped in a mostly Western tradition — which is what tends to make a new pictures library in Ghana so amazing.
The Dikan Center, which just opened in Ghana’s money, Accra, was created by Paul Ninson. And it’s filled with photography publications and films by men and women from Africa and across the diaspora.
Ninson joined The World’s host Marco Werman from Accra to discuss the new middle and it is really function.
Marco Werman: Paul, this new library is a task I know you have been passionate about for some time. What does it imply to you that it is now opened?
Paul Ninson: I’m so excited about it because it really is an chance to give Africans and Black people an possibility to master extra about their lifestyle and also to be inspired about the visual tradition.
Why do you consider gathering and showcasing the photographic arts and documentation of Africa is so critical?
Simply because then you will be capable to recognize — if you don’t know your background, you are unable to development. So, my joy in these issues is to have a position where by men and women could be educated in phrases of the narrative and be motivated to produce [their] own narrative.
And how do you see the present-day type of photographic narrative that is been told by numerous persons about Africa, not just Africans, I signify, men and women from all around the entire world who come to Africa and kind of demonstrate what they’ve seen. Why do you see that as problematic?
The inside and the outside viewpoint will generally be different. The items which we keep pricey and see as our personal will definitely be distinctive from someone coming in and telling the story. I never say that folks should not, but I believe extra possibilities should be provided to Africans to be capable to inform their personal tale.
And that tale has existed for quite a few, quite a few yrs in Africa. In which have those people photographs been all this time?
The independence of Ghana, all that visual record of Ghana, is not obtainable for Ghanaians or Africans to be equipped to understand from some of these issues. Some of these issues are mainly on the Western aspect of the world. That is why I established [it] to be equipped to collaborate, bridge operate with men and women, to be ready to give these equipment and [make this] heritage available to Africans.
So, the bulk of the collection, I collect, at the Dikan Middle is produced up of your individual assortment of 30,000 images books. What type of books are we talking about and who are the vary of photographers represented?
So, one particular of my favorites is Gordon Parks. I bought it on the Decrease East Aspect in New York. And I want to get the job done and seek out donations and be capable to increase additional dollars to invest in much more African guides and African American books as effectively.
Gordon Parks, certainly the legendary African American photographer. So, it is not just African photographers, per se, from the continent. Who is represented from the continent, who stands out?
James Barnor, who is a photographer from Ghana. He has a few publications and I have all of them. We have Malick [Sidibé] also from Senegal. I have some of his publications, as perfectly.
So, the photography library is identified as the Dikan Centre, as I said. What does Dikan signify?
Dikan means “just take the guide.”
And what would you like the center to consider the guide in?
There are complications in Africa, problems of accessibility, challenges of visual society, issues of work creation and other things. So, for me, I want to inspire people to consider the guide, and I am taking the direct.
How do you see pictures fixing some of the big issues that Africa is struggling with now?
For the reason that, you know, sometimes we neglect [and separate] economics from narrative. If now you style “Africa” in New York Occasions, what would you see? How would that narrative support an investor to make investments in Africa, suitable? I did a tale in a village wherever there are no adult males. Currently, if you discuss about this, those people are the most potent females who are fleeing woman genital mutilation and abuse. These are stories, you do not see in the important news outlets. I want the Africans to convey to the story in their yard, the good tales, even the undesirable stories, to even remedy difficulties. So, which is why I want to train far more persons in Africa, give them the resources and the resources to be capable to notify our tales on our possess conditions, in our way and [have] just about every implies to distribute them.
This interview has been flippantly edited and condensed for clarity.
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