The Easel

18th November 2025

Malick Sidibé Was an Architect of Utopia and Purveyor of Nostalgia

Sidibé was in the right place at the right time, opening a photographic studio in Bamako just as Mali became independent. His images brim with the exuberance and pride of new nationhood, not anticipating the nation’s turbulent post-colonial politics. “There is no future to be glimpsed … but there is at least a hint of the uncomplicated past”. Sidibé’s vivid backdrops and sanguine subjects helped establish the visual vocabulary of African portrait photography.

11th November 2025

Paris Photo 2025: Exploring the Curation

Paris Photo claims to be the world’s leading photography fair. It is, by its nature, eclectic, exactly the moment when Magnum Photo can delve into its fabled archive and highlight some great images. Running parallel to the main event are shows by Susan Meiselas (reviewed here) and Luc Delahaye, one of the greats of French photography (reviewed here; 9 min).