Pioneering 94-year-old African photographer celebrated in DIA show

(Detroit Free Press) One of this year’s most exciting art exhibitions in metro Detroit is currently on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts — and there’s less than a month left to see it.

The 60-year career of pioneering Ghanaian photographer James Barnor is heralded in the stunning “James Barnor: Accra/London — A Retrospective,” the first U.S. retrospective of his work. More than 170 photos from his archive of more than 32,000 images have been on view at the museum since late April and will remain on the walls of the DIA’s special exhibition section until Oct. 15.



Barnor’s photographs, dating from the 1950s through the 1980s, bring to vivid life the stories of everyday citizens in Ghana, along with the African diaspora in the United Kingdom, during times of major social and political changes.

“I am honored the Detroit Institute of Arts chose to spotlight my work, allowing Detroit audiences to receive an opportunity to discover the important years in African history and culture that the photos represent,” said Barnor, 94. “It is my hope that these images can inspire a new generation of artists.” .............(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/arts/2023/09/21/dia-displays-94-year-old-african-photographers-60-years-of-work/70910132007/