Nicknamed “the Eye of Bamako,” Sidibé documented the life, style, and energy of post-independence Mali with unmatched intimacy. His iconic black-and-white photographs — from the exuberant youth of Bamako’s dancefloors to the confident subjects in his studio — captured a nation defining itself in a moment of profound social and cultural change.
Painted Frames revisits this legacy by pairing Sidibé’s emblematic portraits with brightly colored frames, hand-painted and created in collaboration with the artist and local Malian artisans toward the end of his life.





