Serpentine Galleries Showcases the Work of British-Ghanaian Photographer James Barnor
A retrospective outlook on Accra and London that spans six decades.
London’s Serpentine Galleries has compiled a retrospective outlook on the work of British-Ghanaian photographer James Barno. The 92-year-old lensman’s lifelong career stretches over six decades where he captured a diverse range of genres that chronicles the history of two individual nations during a time of colonization.
Barner was born in Ghana in 1929 devoted himself to photography at the age of 18. He opened the doors to the Ever Young studio based in Accra by 1953 during the peak of the nation’s fight for independence where he recorded a perspective through photos colored with music and conversations. The Ghanaian photographer left for London in 1959 to further his studies while he worked for the South African magazine, Drum.
By the 1970s he returned to Ghana to set up the country’s first color processing lab as he continued to build on his portfolio as a portrait photographer before moving back to London in 1994. Throughout his career as a studio portraitist, photojournalist and lifestyle photographer, Barno managed to document the significant social and political timeline of both London and Accra.
The exhibition will be on view till October 24. For more details or tickets, head over to Serpentine Galleries’ website.
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Serpentine North Gallery
West Carriage Drive,
London W2 2AR
