Monday, June 15, 2009

Gambia, North Road, 2006


It is a rough day on the road from Dakar, Senegal to the interior of Gambia. We arrive on the eastern border of Gambia the previous night and spend the night in a small town. The plan is to leave in the morning and arrive at the western coast by the end of the day. The hotel owner smiles when he sets his eyes on our transportation, a compact car. He seems to know what lay ahead of us. This is the background behind this portrait. On our way west, we stop for gas at a service station. This man and his friend are sitting on the side, waiting for the next car. He walks over to us and asks for some help. After a minute or so, we agree on an exchange, his portrait for our help. He agrees and sits down for the portrait. At first, he covers his face, then he lowers the cloth enough to show us his face more so. This is one of the few portraits made by me in exchange for something more than a print, something outside the venue of my collaborations. It works out well and his portrait is used in order to raise awareness of the others in my portfolio.

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