Forum of Photography, Cologne : Chief Portraits from Burkina Faso

In 2004 the Belgian photographer Jean-Dominique Burton (born in 1952) made a few trips to the West African state of Burkina Faso where he shot a number of portraits of the *Naabas*. Naaba is what the chiefs of a village or a clan are called. His royal household consists of a fixed number of advisory (council of the elders) who are all allowed to add the title Nabba to their name. The population of the former French colony is made up of 60 different ethnic groups. The relation between the village chiefs and the state government is purely informal. While the Naabas are very well accepted in the population they are only represented by one speaker in parliament. For the first time Burton’s 53 black and white photos (format 44,5 x 55,5 cm) will be presented together in Cologne. The regalia of power of the Naabas are confined to wooden thrones, the typical round headgear, a baton and the traditional West African festive clothing. The opening will be on Saturday, August 12th at 4.00 pm with the photographer present. The exhibition will go on until Nov. 5th 2006. More info at www.forum-fotografie.info.