“Duet” comes from the Latin root word duo which means two. The Duet series focuses on double portraits, a tradition in West Africa. I try to create a duality, a resemblance between two people through gestures, clothing, poses, etc. This series includes portraits of relatives, friends and people united by other ties. This particular image is one from a series showing portraits of men and women pridefully posing in front of walls reminiscent of Saint-Louis, Senegal, and its architectural heritage, old buildings steeped in history. At their feet lies a dark checkerboard reminiscent of traditional photo studios. — **Left** Thioro Amar, manager of Rama Diaw’s clothing store; **Right** Rama Diaw, a fashion designer.

FirstLook: Duet

FirstLookSeptember/October 2023PDF
- Photograph by Malick Welli
Categories
- Creatives

“Duet” comes from the Latin root word duo which means two.

The Duet series focuses on double portraits, a tradition in West Africa. I try to create a duality, a resemblance between two people through gestures, clothing, poses, etc. This series includes portraits of relatives, friends and people united by other ties. This particular image is one from a series showing portraits of men and women pridefully posing in front of walls reminiscent of Saint-Louis, Senegal, and its architectural heritage, old buildings steeped in history. At their feet lies a dark checkerboard reminiscent of traditional photo studios.

—Malick Welli
@malickwelli

View more photos from Malick Welli’s Duet series here.

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