TEDGlobal 2017
Iké Udé: The radical beauty of Africa, in portraits
Filmed:
Readability: 6.3
258,682 views
Throughout his colorful career and bodies of work, Iké Udé has found creative ways to reject the negative portrayal of Africans rampant in Western media. In this tour of his work, he shares evocative portraits that blend clothing, props and poses from many cultures at once into sharp takes on the varied, complex beauty of Africa.
Iké Udé - Artist
The work of Nigerian-born Iké Udé explores a world of dualities: photographer/performance artist, artist/spectator, African/post-nationalist, mainstream/marginal, individual/everyman and fashion/art. Full bio
The work of Nigerian-born Iké Udé explores a world of dualities: photographer/performance artist, artist/spectator, African/post-nationalist, mainstream/marginal, individual/everyman and fashion/art. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
In 1996, I was commissioned
by the Guggenheim Museum
by the Guggenheim Museum
0
802
5348
00:18
to execute a large body of work
called "Uses of Evidence."
called "Uses of Evidence."
1
6174
6215
00:25
It was a cube --
2
13370
1524
00:27
a very well large cube, at that.
3
15696
2301
00:30
Each side had a window
4
18759
1770
00:32
in order for the spectators
to view the interior of the structure.
to view the interior of the structure.
5
20553
4400
00:37
The exterior of the structure
was a collage of Africa and Africans
was a collage of Africa and Africans
6
25680
6365
00:44
as portrayed in the Western
media and literature.
media and literature.
7
32069
3902
00:48
A look through the windows
revealed a sharp contrast:
revealed a sharp contrast:
8
36627
6018
00:55
within the cubes are tranquil,
civilized, domestic images
civilized, domestic images
9
43590
6261
01:01
of African family members, friends
10
49875
4842
01:07
and Nigerian professionals,
11
55585
1992
01:09
ranging from writers, poets,
fashion designers, etc.
fashion designers, etc.
12
57601
6341
01:17
The thing is,
13
65112
1574
01:19
both the exterior and the interior
images are quite true.
images are quite true.
14
67829
5065
01:25
But the images captured by Western media
15
73581
6366
01:31
overwhelmingly depict Africans
as basically primitive at best,
as basically primitive at best,
16
79971
6925
01:39
or barely distinguishable
from the African animals.
from the African animals.
17
87442
4632
01:44
Not much has changed,
I'm afraid, since 1996,
I'm afraid, since 1996,
18
92800
5221
01:50
when I executed this work.
19
98045
3560
01:56
I began my professional
photography practice in 1994,
photography practice in 1994,
20
104219
4767
02:01
but my passion and enthusiasm
for photography
for photography
21
109812
4857
02:06
goes back to childhood,
22
114693
2777
02:10
when my parents arranged
for us to be photographed
for us to be photographed
23
118109
5181
02:15
by a professional photographer
24
123314
2890
02:18
on almost a monthly basis.
25
126228
2397
02:21
It was also an opportunity for my siblings
to dress up in our latest gear,
to dress up in our latest gear,
26
129127
6992
02:28
made by our tailor.
27
136639
1554
02:30
Later, when I was in boarding school,
28
138911
2912
02:33
my friends and I bought Polaroid cameras,
29
141847
3645
02:38
and then I began to experiment
with self-portraiture,
with self-portraiture,
30
146323
4270
02:42
or what I would call
31
150617
1600
02:45
"proto-selfie auto-portraits."
32
153566
3039
02:48
(Laughter)
33
156629
1850
02:50
"Cover Girl 1994" was my first major work
34
158503
4404
02:54
that was critically well received
in the US and Europe
in the US and Europe
35
162931
5001
02:59
and quite instantly became
a part of the school anthologies
a part of the school anthologies
36
167956
6113
03:06
at universities and colleges.
37
174093
2118
03:08
With the "Cover Girl" series,
38
176235
2207
03:10
I wanted to reimagine the magazine cover
39
178466
4373
03:14
with imagery totally unexpected,
yet profoundly reasonable.
yet profoundly reasonable.
40
182863
6468
03:21
The "Cover Girl" series
proposed a different way
proposed a different way
41
189355
4766
03:26
the African can be represented
in a more complex manner.
in a more complex manner.
42
194145
6024
03:33
Like "Cover Girl,"
the "Sartorial Anarchy" series
the "Sartorial Anarchy" series
43
201455
3705
03:38
is made up of self-portraits.
44
206104
3386
03:42
It is an ongoing body of work,
started in 2010.
started in 2010.
45
210521
4092
03:47
In each image, I married
disparate costumes
disparate costumes
46
215339
6255
03:53
from widely diverse traditions,
countries and time frames.
countries and time frames.
47
221618
6665
04:00
And in mixing eras, cultures,
48
228307
4548
04:04
I was able to bring harmony, as it were,
49
232879
3824
04:08
to their similarly
irreconcilable differences.
irreconcilable differences.
50
236727
3679
04:12
These differences became a source
51
240950
3595
04:16
of inspired artistic celebration.
52
244569
6135
04:23
For example,
53
251822
1384
04:26
in "Sartorial Anarchy #4,"
54
254386
2881
04:29
I mixed a boater hat,
55
257291
2738
04:32
inspired by the traditional
Eton-Oxford College Boat Race,
Eton-Oxford College Boat Race,
56
260053
6596
04:38
with a green Afghan traditional coat
57
266673
4210
04:42
and an American Boy Scout shirt --
58
270907
3789
04:46
a culture clash that works.
59
274720
2252
04:50
In "Sartorial Anarchy #5,"
60
278403
2629
04:53
I wore a macaroni wig,
61
281905
2632
04:56
inspired by eighteenth-century
macaroni headgear from England.
macaroni headgear from England.
62
284561
5568
05:02
This was paired with
a British Norfolk jacket,
a British Norfolk jacket,
63
290609
4501
05:07
Yoruba Nigerian trousers,
64
295903
2964
05:11
and, improbably, a South African
Zulu fighting stick.
Zulu fighting stick.
65
299919
4628
05:17
All harmoniously coexist on one body.
66
305575
3684
05:22
And with "Sartorial Anarchy,"
I began to invest more
I began to invest more
67
310744
4627
05:27
into the organization of my pictures.
68
315395
3130
05:31
I also began to investigate
the vast possibilities of color:
the vast possibilities of color:
69
319149
5621
05:38
its emotional values,
70
326187
1736
05:40
psychological impulse,
71
328693
1764
05:43
poetic allure
72
331156
1515
05:45
and a boundless capacity beyond
the realm of meaning and logic.
the realm of meaning and logic.
73
333267
6966
05:52
Now, enter Nollywood.
74
340890
1837
05:55
In October of 2014,
75
343168
2695
05:57
I returned to Lagos, Nigeria,
after over three decades away
after over three decades away
76
345887
5420
06:03
and took photographs
of 64 Nollywood personalities.
of 64 Nollywood personalities.
77
351331
4533
06:08
I captured a cross section
of the industry,
of the industry,
78
356220
4833
06:13
as well as the next generation
of rising stars.
of rising stars.
79
361844
4608
06:19
Nollywood is the first time that you have
a school of African filmmakers
a school of African filmmakers
80
367559
5844
06:25
truly, truly, profoundly in charge
of telling African stories.
of telling African stories.
81
373427
6301
06:32
In their varied movies --
82
380157
2280
06:34
from romantic movies, horror films,
gangster movies to action movies --
gangster movies to action movies --
83
382461
6506
06:41
one sees Nigerians portrayed
with many layers of complexities.
with many layers of complexities.
84
389491
6070
06:47
All the Nigerian, or "Naija," archetypes,
if you allow, are there --
if you allow, are there --
85
395950
6426
06:55
from the divvers, the "Shakara,"
the coquette,
the coquette,
86
403264
5084
07:00
the gangsters, the rich,
the corrupt politicians,
the corrupt politicians,
87
408372
4873
07:05
the whore, the pimp --
88
413269
1912
07:07
all in their swagger.
89
415205
1477
07:09
And of course, you have the lowlifes
and the losers, too,
and the losers, too,
90
417149
3809
07:12
all vividly portrayed.
91
420982
2329
07:16
Nollywood is Africa's mirror
par excellence.
par excellence.
92
424561
3833
07:21
Typically, I direct all of my portraits,
93
429990
3097
07:25
from the way my subject
conducts his or her head,
conducts his or her head,
94
433658
4098
07:30
the way the neck is tilted,
95
438776
2273
07:33
the expression of the fingers,
96
441871
2266
07:36
the gestures of the hands,
97
444728
2003
07:39
to the gaze
98
447533
1312
07:41
and overall bearing and countenance.
99
449411
2326
07:44
Let me describe
some of the photographs for you.
some of the photographs for you.
100
452069
2935
07:47
Genevieve Nnaji.
101
455028
1712
07:49
She is the reigning queen of Nollywood.
102
457228
2211
07:51
Here, I was quoting from the grand,
iconic African cultures
iconic African cultures
103
459876
5792
07:57
of the Nile Valley civilizations;
104
465692
2663
08:00
namely, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia,
105
468379
3499
08:03
so as to imbue her with a stately,
ironic, calm grandeur.
ironic, calm grandeur.
106
471902
6582
08:11
Taiwo Ajai-Lycett is
the grande dame of Nollywood.
the grande dame of Nollywood.
107
479014
5599
08:17
Every aspect of her being
commands attention.
commands attention.
108
485283
5254
08:23
So I posed her with her back
to the audience.
to the audience.
109
491085
4171
08:27
Her face turned to meet us
with a redoubtable gaze.
with a redoubtable gaze.
110
495990
5388
08:34
She doesn't need to seek our approval.
111
502276
3038
08:38
She's all that.
112
506157
1272
08:40
Sadiq Daba.
113
508458
1150
08:42
There was an unspoken
authoritarian and imperial bearing
authoritarian and imperial bearing
114
510592
5111
08:47
that Sadiq Daba exudes upon meeting him.
115
515727
4076
08:52
In this portrait, he simply sat
116
520522
4133
08:57
and allowed his massive,
massive Nigerian caftan
massive Nigerian caftan
117
525847
5532
09:03
to signal his status.
118
531403
2031
09:06
Quite an accomplishment.
119
534815
1600
09:09
Belinda Effah.
120
537609
1150
09:11
Belinda Effah's portrait allowed me
to indulge my passion for color,
to indulge my passion for color,
121
539521
4412
09:15
dressed in a long, fitted blue dress
that emphasizes her curves,
that emphasizes her curves,
122
543957
6604
09:22
seated on an upholstered
green velvet bench.
green velvet bench.
123
550585
4219
09:26
I gamely employed the multicolored carpet
124
554828
4034
09:32
and a vibrant color,
125
560106
2300
09:34
in order to evoke the splendor
of the multicolored painted bunting bird.
of the multicolored painted bunting bird.
126
562430
6994
09:41
Everything was designed to harmonize
the figure of Belinda within the frame.
the figure of Belinda within the frame.
127
569950
6826
09:49
Monalisa Chinda is, shall we say,
128
577360
4119
09:53
the epitome of the luxe
existence and lifestyle.
existence and lifestyle.
129
581503
4265
09:57
Her picture, or portrait,
pretty much speaks for itself.
pretty much speaks for itself.
130
585792
4182
10:02
Alexx Ekubo is a sharp study
131
590919
4277
10:07
in simplified elegance and dignity
132
595220
3444
10:11
and a harmony in blue and white, as well.
133
599387
3881
10:16
Enyinna Nwigwe
is a Nollywood matinee idol.
is a Nollywood matinee idol.
134
604371
3876
10:20
There is whiff of the rake about him,
135
608853
5105
10:25
and that gives him an enchanting edge.
136
613982
2920
10:29
That's what I felt when I designed
and organized the portrait.
and organized the portrait.
137
617239
4943
10:34
Now, Nollywood is a new phase of Africa.
138
622776
4143
10:39
It is modern, post-modern,
139
627856
4348
10:44
meta-modern, bold
140
632228
3111
10:47
sexy, shrewd
141
635363
2881
10:50
and with a contagious
attitude worth catching.
attitude worth catching.
142
638268
5119
10:55
As the finale of the project,
143
643411
2682
10:58
I assembled the Nollywood stars
144
646117
3349
11:01
into a group grand portrait
of 64 subjects,
of 64 subjects,
145
649490
5278
11:06
called "The School of Nollywood,"
146
654792
3353
11:10
which was inspired
by Rafael's "School of Athens,"
by Rafael's "School of Athens,"
147
658704
5046
11:15
that was done circa 1509.
148
663774
3850
11:20
It is at the Vatican.
149
668490
1400
11:22
This grand group portrait
150
670895
2946
11:25
is the exact same size
as Rafael's "School of Athens."
as Rafael's "School of Athens."
151
673865
5450
11:31
It measures roughly 27 feet in width
152
679339
4992
11:36
by six and a half feet in height.
153
684355
3416
11:40
Nollywood also exemplifies
a type of modernity
a type of modernity
154
688291
4000
11:44
never before seen in Africa.
155
692315
1866
11:47
Think of it:
156
695029
1150
11:48
there has never been anything
so ubiquitous
so ubiquitous
157
696760
4351
11:53
with such iconic optics
158
701135
2327
11:56
to come out of Africa
159
704097
1520
11:57
since the Nile Valley civilizations
160
705641
4452
12:02
of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia.
161
710117
4112
12:07
Outside of Nollywood,
162
715553
1826
12:09
the image of Africa remains frozen
in the old "National Geographic" mode
in the old "National Geographic" mode
163
717403
6325
12:15
and safari perspective.
164
723752
1674
12:18
But as Africans continue to step
and see themselves portrayed by Nollywood
and see themselves portrayed by Nollywood
165
726703
6897
12:25
in their varied
and fantastic complexities,
and fantastic complexities,
166
733624
4136
12:29
they will, in turn,
propagate and perpetuate
propagate and perpetuate
167
737784
3847
12:33
the positive image of themselves.
168
741655
2367
12:36
This is what Hollywood did
and continues to do for the West.
and continues to do for the West.
169
744046
4066
12:40
As shocking as this may be,
170
748625
2000
12:43
it is almost a taboo in the art world
171
751363
3301
12:46
to show Africans in a modern framework --
172
754688
3567
12:51
that is to say, as polished, dry-cleaned,
173
759094
4363
12:55
manicured, pedicured and coiffed.
174
763481
3738
12:59
(Applause)
175
767998
4817
13:04
Part of my job is to keep
beautifying Africa for the world,
beautifying Africa for the world,
176
772839
4807
13:10
one portrait at a time.
177
778292
3111
13:13
Thank you.
178
781427
1160
13:14
(Applause)
179
782611
6787
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Iké Udé - ArtistThe work of Nigerian-born Iké Udé explores a world of dualities: photographer/performance artist, artist/spectator, African/post-nationalist, mainstream/marginal, individual/everyman and fashion/art.
Why you should listen
Iké Udé's ongoing photographic self-portrait series, "Sartorial Anarchy," showa him dressed in varied costumes across geography and time. As a Nigerian-born, New York–based artist, conversant with the world of fashion and celebrity, Udé gives conceptual aspects of performance and representation a new vitality, melding his own theatrical selves and multiple personae with his art. Udé plays with the ambiguities of the marketplace and art world, particularly in his seminal art, culture and fashion magazine, aRUDE and recently his style blog, theCHIC INDEX.
Udé is the author of Beyond Decorum (MIT Press, 2000), which accompanied a traveling exhibition of his photography, and Style File: The World’s Most Elegantly Dressed (2008), a remarkable volume that profiles 55 arbiters of style, including Isabel and Ruben Toledo, Victoire de Castellane, André Leon Talley, Dita Von Teese, Ute Lemper, Lapo Elkann and many others. His work is in the permanent collections of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Smithsonian Museum of Art and in many private collections. The esteemed online auction house, Artsy, ranked him -- along with Rembrandt, van Gogh, Warhol -- among the top 10 "Masters of the Self-Portrait." He has made the coveted Vanity Fair magazine's International Best Dressed List in 2009, 2012 and 2015.
Iké Udé | Speaker | TED.com