Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of Africa

This essay looks at ways of disentangling from epistemic violence in visual production in African urban contexts. Tracing parallels between the colonial intrinsically violent gaze and contemporary attempts to disentangle from epistemic violence, the author seeks to problematize the violence of image...

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Main Author: A. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Berlin Universities Publishing 2023-02-01
Series:The February Journal
Online Access:https://thefebruaryjournal.org/index.php/tfj/article/view/75
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author A. A.
author_facet A. A.
author_sort A. A.
collection DOAJ
description This essay looks at ways of disentangling from epistemic violence in visual production in African urban contexts. Tracing parallels between the colonial intrinsically violent gaze and contemporary attempts to disentangle from epistemic violence, the author seeks to problematize the violence of images of Africa. The essay examines works of photographers who explore urban environments in West Africa by establishing an intimate relationship with a place, opening avenues for multiple ways of seeing. This contribution shows how this personal dimension allows photographers to transcend objectivity and go beyond epistemic violence based on the opposition of ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ Contemplation of the city occurs both in thoughtful relation with the self and with the surrounding environment.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2940-5181
language English
publishDate 2023-02-01
publisher Berlin Universities Publishing
record_format Article
series The February Journal
spelling doaj-art-eefa72b3d98d49dd8b6294c4faf74bb52025-08-20T03:39:06ZengBerlin Universities PublishingThe February Journal2940-51812023-02-0101-02Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of AfricaA. A.This essay looks at ways of disentangling from epistemic violence in visual production in African urban contexts. Tracing parallels between the colonial intrinsically violent gaze and contemporary attempts to disentangle from epistemic violence, the author seeks to problematize the violence of images of Africa. The essay examines works of photographers who explore urban environments in West Africa by establishing an intimate relationship with a place, opening avenues for multiple ways of seeing. This contribution shows how this personal dimension allows photographers to transcend objectivity and go beyond epistemic violence based on the opposition of ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ Contemplation of the city occurs both in thoughtful relation with the self and with the surrounding environment. https://thefebruaryjournal.org/index.php/tfj/article/view/75
spellingShingle A. A.
Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of Africa
The February Journal
title Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of Africa
title_full Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of Africa
title_fullStr Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of Africa
title_full_unstemmed Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of Africa
title_short Disentangling from Epistemic Violence: Contemporary Photographers Unfixing the Image of Africa
title_sort disentangling from epistemic violence contemporary photographers unfixing the image of africa
url https://thefebruaryjournal.org/index.php/tfj/article/view/75
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