Baudouin Mouanda

Presentation

Baudouin Mouanda was born on June 22, 1981 in Ouesso (Sangha). He became interested in photography at the age of 13, attracted by the perspective and light effects of the lenses. He then took part in a training course offered by the European Union, during which his talent was spotted. In 2005, he helped found the "Génération Elili" collective with friends, an association dedicated to helping Congolese photographers, which would become "the standard-bearer for Congolese photography beyond the Congo". He later joined the "Afrique in Visu" collective. In 2007, he produced a series of photos entitled Les séquelles de la guerre (The Aftermath of War), mainly shot in Kinshasa (DRC) and dedicated to the wars of 1993, 1997 and 1998 that shook the two Congos. This work led to his acceptance onto a photojournalism course at the Centre de formation et de perfectionnement des journalistes in Paris, France. It was during his stay in Paris that he first saw members of the Sape, the Société des ambianceurs et des personnes élégantes, a cultural movement of Congolese "dandies" dressed in colorful, luxurious costumes. Fascinated, he created a series of photos in homage to Brazzaville's "sapeurs", elegance, with which he made a name for himself in 2008. The series met with worldwide success, and he held a touring exhibition in several countries, including France (Musée Dapper), Japan and China.