{"id":176450634,"date":"2015-02-23T00:25:11","date_gmt":"2015-02-23T06:25:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/?p=176450634"},"modified":"2015-02-23T00:25:11","modified_gmt":"2015-02-23T06:25:11","slug":"photo-essay-interview-paul-sika-the-ivorian-photographer-with-visions-of-things-to-come","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/2015\/02\/23\/photo-essay-interview-paul-sika-the-ivorian-photographer-with-visions-of-things-to-come\/","title":{"rendered":"PHOTO ESSAY + INTERVIEW: Paul Sika: The Ivorian Photographer With ‘Visions Of Things To Come’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"okay<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"SIKA<\/a> \"SIKA<\/a> \"SIKA<\/a> \"SIKA<\/a> \"SIKA<\/a> \"SIKA<\/a><\/p>\n

*Interview by\u00a0Derica Shields<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ivorian photographer\u00a0Paul Sika<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0has birthed his very own style. He calls it \u2018photomaking\u2019 and combines digital photography with painterly post-production to produce brightly-coloured, densely textured images teeming with energy and drama. Born in 1985, he travelled to the UK to study Software Engineering, in the hopes of making video games \u2014 that was the dream until he had an epiphany while watching the trailer for\u00a0The Matrix Reloaded.<\/em>\u00a0He purchased a camera, began taking photographs and moved back to Abidjan where a burgeoning arts scene always provides inspiration and a cast of young creative people contribute to his photographic practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast to the established tradition of West African studio photography, Paul Sika\u2019s richly imagined images are dense with highly saturated colour and bodies striking exaggerated poses. His aim is to force the viewer into an unfamiliar headspace, in which a new conversation \u2014 quite outside the ordinary \u2014 can begin. So when Sika said that he hoped, with his work to give \u201cvisions of things to come,\u201d we began to understand just what he meant. Flick through the gallery above and read on to learn more about Paul Sika\u2019s global influences; his unique concept \u2018photomaking’; a guide to the Abidjan arts scene and understand the importance he places on critical engagement with African photography.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"cote-d'ivoire-culture-paul-sika-african-art\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

OKA: Have you always been creative?<\/strong><\/span>
\nPaul Sika<\/strong>: I\u2019m naturally inclined towards creativity. Since I was a kid I\u2019ve been fascinated by storytelling, but I didn\u2019t realize or put it into words until later. I simply had not conceived of it as being creativity. But I loved doodling and my cousin and I would invent stories to tell each other before sleep using characters inspired by people at school.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OKA: What made you switch from studies in Software Engineering to photography?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: One day I was walking down Tottenham Court Road and saw\u00a0a trailer for\u00a0Matrix 2: Reloaded<\/em>. Mesmerized, I thought to myself that if this was the type of imagination required to make great movies, then I was well equipped. I was glad to change direction because I thought of filmmaking as a great avenue of creative expression, and a more suitable avenue than making video games, which was the reason I was enrolled on a Software Engineering course. Not wanting to stop my engineering studies, I bought a camera and started experimenting with the static image which I conceptualized as the unit of the moving picture. Surprised by the vastness of the medium, I remained in the field of photography.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OKA: Was your family encouraging?<\/strong><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: My family didn\u2019t encourage or support me in the beginning. They were wondering what I was trying to do. But the situation became an indirect opportunity for me to sharpen my determination, perseverance, resilience and other qualities that I needed to realize my dream.\u00a0Today, my parents understand what I am doing. As it became clearer to them, support naturally sprung up. It has happened gradually. I\u2019ll use the opportunity to say thanks to my mother and my sister, my two ladies; they have done so much for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"cote-divoire-paul-sika-photography\"
\n*Paul Sika, from the \u2018Dandelia\u2019 series<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

OKA: Why do you prefer the term \u2018photomaker\u2019 to photographer? Do you see your work pushing at the boundaries of the photographic medium?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>:\u00a0Photomaking is a term I coined by combining PHOTOgraphy and filmMAKING.\u00a0It underscores the fact that my photography is heavily influenced by filmmaking.\u00a0I think of myself as a motion picture director using a still photo camera.\u00a0In terms of goal, my method is not to push boundaries, but to express my imagination to its fullest and tell beautiful stories.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OKA: Can you describe your technical process? Has it become more systematic over the years?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>:\u00a0Influenced by filmmaking, my technical process starts with imagining the story, which I then write down as a script. I break that script down into sequences which eventually become photos. Then I cast models and we rehearse if needed. After that comes principal photography, which produces the digital stills I use in post-production. And finally I apply a layer of digital painting to create the look necessary to effectively tell the story.\u00a0This process has streamlined over time as I gained more experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OKA: Your works are based on digital stills, but the final images are these vivid \u2018technicolour dreamscapes<\/a>\u2018 that look almost like paintings. Why do you choose to work in such bold, bright colours and create these more painterly images?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>:\u00a0Colour is an element of my story-telling as important as the shapes of objects and lighting of the scene.\u00a0 It reflects the essence of the story I\u2019m telling and helps foster a certain mood. The colours I use also grab people\u2019s attention: in a busy world where we move fast and are bombarded by visual, audio and other sensory stimuli, they shout at the viewer\u2019s mind, and work to create the fraction of silence in the observer necessary to start the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"cote-d-ivoire-culture-paul-sika\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

OKA: There\u2019s a strong tradition of studio photography in Francophone West Africa (Sidibe, Keita, Mama Casset), do you see your work as part of that tradition? Often your images are crowded with people, shot outdoors and look like stills from a play or movie. What are your photographic references or influences?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: Just like a sailor searching for a grand treasure, I\u2019ve taken the direction which will lead me to the fulfillment of my vision of art and photomaking. Thus my positioning has been orchestrated in accordance with my own cherished destination rather than relative to the people who have travelled before me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regarding influences, the world of filmmaking started it all:\u00a0The Matrix<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Star Wars\u00a0<\/em>particularly.\u00a0Years of video games introduced me to various aesthetics I love:\u00a0Zelda<\/em>,\u00a0Mario Bros<\/em>,\u00a0Street Fighter<\/em>,\u00a0Tekken<\/em>,\u00a0Capcom VS SNK 2<\/em>.\u00a0Comic books and animation, be they from Japan, Europe or Africa, must also get credit:\u00a0Le Journal de Mickey<\/em>,\u00a0Lucky Luke<\/em>\u00a0(Morris<\/strong>,\u00a0Goscinny<\/strong>),\u00a0Dragon Ball Z<\/em>\u00a0(Toriyama<\/strong>) and some of the anime directed by\u00a0Hayao Miyazaki\u00a0<\/strong>have been influential.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0In terms of painters, although I\u2019m more interested in single pieces than whole bodies of work,\u00a0Eugene Delacroix<\/strong>,\u00a0Michelangelo<\/strong>, and\u00a0Gauguin<\/strong>\u00a0come to mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OKA: What kinds of representations of Cote d\u2019Ivoire\/Abidjan are you trying to create with your photography? What kinds of stories do you want to tell?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: Recalling my conscious wish to be a filmmaker and photographer, my first goal is\u00a0to tell beautiful stories that will contribute to the positive transformation and evolution of the human being. Cote d\u2019Ivoire and Abidjan influence the language I use to tell those stories: they constitute a visual dictionary from which I take unique object-words to formulate the unique visual phrases that make up my stories.\u00a0There is an entire language developed in my work using them, which could be the object of study.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"paul-sika-african-photography-Puneu-Puneu-2-copie\"
\n*Paul Sika, from the \u2018Puneu Puneu\u2019 series. Character Joue Rose (Pink Chick) in a deep state of reflection and analysis that will lead him to the next phase of his life –\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

OKA: In your\u00a0interview with CNN<\/a>\u00a0you talk about wanting to show \u2018happiness, hope\u2019 and \u2018positivity\u2019 in your images. You also say that your work does not just aim to show people in a \u2018flattering\u2019 way but \u2018in ways that are real\u2019. Why is that distinction \u2013 between \u2018flattering\u2019 and \u2018real\u2019 \u2013 important to you?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: Flattery is related to insincerity and falsification which are the complete opposite of my way, and by extension, of the way of the Artist.\u00a0As a visual communicator and a storyteller my role and function is to shatter the deceits and illusions of life while relating things as they are, and offer visions of the things to come.\u00a0Thus the happiness, hope and positivity which emanate from my work are truthful representations of what is.\u00a0The purpose of my work is to bring balance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OKA: Recently the international media has been discussing Ivorian art and the Abidjan arts scene in light of the 2010-11 post-election crisis. How was the arts scene impacted by the upheaval?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: The post-election crisis was the last Great Event in Cote d\u2019Ivoire, therefore it\u2019s understandable that there is a reference to this deathly period when speaking of the Renaissance of Art. When Cote d\u2019Ivoire creates more joyful events as a nation, references will eventually be made to those.\u00a0The arts scene was impacted by the upheaval. Many projects were cancelled or delayed because of the instability. I had been chosen as the art director for\u00a0TED x ABIDJAN<\/a>\u00a0but in the end, the event didn\u2019t happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"cote-divoire-paul-sika\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

*Paul Sika, from the Fouka Riddim series<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

OKA: Can you describe the Abidjan arts scene? How would you like to see it change or grow in terms of galleries, funding sources, buyers etc.?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: The Abidjan arts scene is at a younger stage compared to older and greater scenes such as New York City. However, a beautiful and accelerated growth is being initiated and sustained.\u00a0New players are arriving and older participants are adopting new directions. We have for example the\u00a0Donwahi Foundation for Contemporary Arts\u00a0<\/a>and the\u00a0C\u00e9cile Fakhoury Gallery<\/a>\u00a0which are world class exhibition spaces.\u00a0Young collectors, nationals and internationals, are engaging in relationships with the scene. We can cite for example\u00a0Frederic Tap\u00e9<\/strong><\/a>, a media and real estate entrepreneur.\u00a0A critic I admire for his capacity to decode and explain art is\u00a0Franck-Hermann Ekra<\/strong>\u00a0who won\u00a0first prize<\/a>\u00a0of the International Association\u00a0of Art Critics (AICA).<\/span><\/p>\n

The scene is burgeoning and teeming. And regarding the growth of the Ivorian art world, I\u2019m convinced we are going to witness the type of revolution that the soccer world has known with the generation of players such as\u00a0Didier Drogba<\/strong>,\u00a0Yaya Tour\u00e9<\/strong>,\u00a0Kolo Tour\u00e9<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Emmanuel Ebou\u00e9<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"african-photography-paul-sika-crucifix\"
\n*Paul Sika, from the \u2018Gloglo Gospel\u2019 series<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

OKA: Which Abidjan\/Ivorian artists are producing work that you admire\/think deserves more attention?<\/b><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>: In music: the singers\u00a0O\u2019New Raymond<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0Mike Danon,\u00a0<\/strong>Flora Ba\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<\/strong>producers\u00a0Nunshack\u00a0<\/strong>aka\u00a0<\/strong>Abdul-Said Sangar\u00e9<\/strong>. In film and theatre look out for\u00a0Abass Zein,<\/strong>\u00a0actor\u00a0Certain Kouassi,\u00a0<\/strong>director\u00a0Jean-Vincent Digb\u00e9,\u00a0<\/strong>the\u00a0<\/strong>Children and Young people\u2019s Theater Company\u00a0CEB AFRIKA<\/a>. I\u2019ve worked with\u00a0Nader Fakhry<\/strong>\u2018s fashion line\u00a0Fouka Riddim<\/a>. Also look out for illustrators\u00a0Frederick Denaf<\/a>, and\u00a0Charles Dadi\u00e9\u00a0<\/strong>of\u00a0Delestron<\/em><\/a>\u00a0fame.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OKA: Can you tell us about future projects or plans?<\/strong><\/span>
\nPS<\/strong>:\u00a0At The Heart of Me<\/em><\/a>, my photo and prose book was released last month and became an Amazon art bestseller. Originally written in English, I plan to make it available in several other languages. Currently, the French version is ready and will be released soon. The Italian translation is also in the works. Anyone interested in translating can contact me; it will be a pleasure to exchange about it<\/span><\/p>\n

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    *Interview by\u00a0Derica Shields Ivorian photographer\u00a0Paul Sika\u00a0has birthed his very own style. He calls it \u2018photomaking\u2019 and combines digital photography with painterly post-production to produce brightly-coloured, densely textured images teeming with energy and drama. Born in 1985, he travelled to the UK to study Software Engineering, in the hopes of making video games \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_s2mail":"yes"},"categories":[6],"tags":[4,12,11],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176450634"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176450634"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176450634\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":176450644,"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176450634\/revisions\/176450644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176450634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176450634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kalamu.com\/neogriot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176450634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}