Dressed for the Photograph

Accra, Ghana · 1980s Before a picture could disappear into a camera roll, it might begin with a visit, a carefully chosen outfit and a moment of stillness. James Barnor’s long portrait practice in Accra offers a route into that photographic culture; his Studio X23 work continued after his return to Ghana. Our sitter and studio are invented. The image borrows no Barnor photograph or person’s likeness. It is an invitation to remember preparing to be photographed: who adjusted your collar before the shutter clicked? AI-created imagined scene; not an archival photograph or a record of real people. Sources: Serpentine — James Barnor exhibition press pack — https://d37zoqglehb9o7.cloudfront.net/uploads/2021/05/James-Barnor-Serpentine-Press-Pack.pdf Nubuke Foundation — James Barnor — https://nubukefoundation.com/james-barnor