A few years ago after an exhibition in Istanbul, a journalist from Géo magazine told me about a photographer who wanted to come to Africa and follow me around in Porto-Novo, where I live. This was the first time I heard about Pascal Maitre.
We decided to meet in Benin.
From him I learned one of the most important lessons about photography: what matters isn’t the technique that makes a photo a work of art as much as a testimony, but the perspective, the engagement, and the desire to tell a story.
When I look at Pascal’s pictures, I understand that it’s his secret. He doesn’t take pictures. He sees Africa and Africans and from a man’s perspective. And it’s not just Africa, but Africas.
