Émilie Régnier on the Visual Rhythm of Luanda

“La Bella de Luanda,” an exhibition by Émilie Régnier, is on view at the PH Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, through May 24, 2019.

The exhibition celebrates the fruits of a 5-week artist residency in Luanda, the capital of Angola. Developed by Ela Espaço Luanda Arte, the residency was designed to increase the visibility of Angolan art and artists locally and internationally.

Régnier’s images embody the heartfelt rhythm of the city of Luanda and the spirit of the Zungueiras (women street sellers), who seem to carry an entire world on their heads – bananas, avocado, brooms, Tupperware, teddy bears, hair extensions.

“Luanda has a very unique pulse, and I became obsessed with the colors, the shadow, the light that reflected around every corner,” writes Régnier in the artist statement for the series. “As a mixed-race artist, I am very sensitive to the issue of representation and the power of photography. I wanted my images from this series to be in sync with the rhythm I got from the city.”

Émilie Régnier is Canadian-Haitian who spent most of her childhood in Gabon before moving to Senegal, and later France. She currently resides in Senegal.

“La Bella de Luanda”
By Émilie Régnier
PH Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
In association with Ela Espaço Luanda Arte and Angola AIR
Through May 24, 2019