Opening of Gentlemen of Bacongo
Thursday 25 March, 5pm
Prince Claus Fund Gallery
Herengracht 603, Amsterdam

The exhibition shows photos of Sapeurs that Daniele Tamagni took for the publication ‘Gentlemen of the Bacongo’. Sapeurs elevate fashion to the status of a religion. Eccentric, expensive haute couture clothes determine their identity. In addition to looking good it is essential to live by the rules of elegance and good manners. A Sapeur for instance will never combine more than three colours in one outfit. In terms of age, profession, personality, taste and looks Sapeurs differ but are all member of the Society for Advancement of People of Elegance (SAPE). Le Sape originated in the eighties and still remains a much admired and copied phenomenon. Most of the Sapeurs originate from Congo and use this lifestyle to better their life. In order to afford this, a lot of the Sapeurs comb the markets for second-hand garments.

Daniele Tamagni is an Italian art historian and freelance photographer. A lot of his work is documentary, he has a great interest in African and Caribbean cultures and he publicizes regularly in the Italian Magazine ‘Africa’. He published the book ‘Gentlemen of Bacongo’ (2009, Trolley).

Join our Facebook group internationale kunst in amsterdam or check our website for more information:
internationalekunstinamsterdam.nl