Baudouin Mouanda

This artist began his career in 1993, thanks to his father's camera, Zénith, which he manipulated in his absence. He studied law at the University of Brazzaville. He "chronicles" the life of Brazzaville for the local newspapers and is nicknamed "Photouin". Baudouin Mouanda very quickly turned away from the classic photo, such as the family photo or the souvenir photo, to focus on the history of his country and the after-effects of the repeated wars which have plagued the Congo. A first work, sensitive, in black and white, is born from his research, "The sequelae of the war". Elected best photographer by the jury of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa, Baudouin Mouanda is starting to be recognized in Africa. Rewarded at the Francophonie Games in Niamey (Niger) in 2005, Baudouin Mouanda was selected for several international competitions, notably for the “Paris Match / SFR” student photo essay Grand Prize. In 2007, he had a residency in Paris, where he followed a training course at the CFPJ (Center for training and development in journalist). This is where his path crosses that of the Congolese of Paris and in particular of the famous kings of the sap, the "sapeurs", and their philosophy called "sapology". Back in Brazzaville in 2008, he photographed the most beautiful "sappers" of the Congolese capital. He participates in several national and international residences. In 2009, Baudouin Mouanda exhibited his photos "The consequences of war" at the Bamako Biennale, Les Rencontres photographiques de Bamako. He receives the Blachère Foundation prize, and the Young talent prize with the support of Bolloré Africa Logistics, which has undertaken to accompany the tour of his photographs in the main African capitals. In 2009, his photographs of the sape were selected for the exhibition "The art of being a man" at the Dapper museum in Paris, at the Confluences museum in Lyon and at the Charpre museum in 2010 In 2011, he benefited from a residency at Deveron Art in Scotland, Gasworks in London, Rio de Janeiro and Helsinki in Finland.