The Nigerian, Kenyan realities in Puchercos’ custody

With the aid of his cameras, Michel Puchercos has captured over 40 photographs, he aptly considered as the “day-to-day realities of Africans” that are relatively unknown to people in the outside world. In an exhibition, tagged: ‘Carnet de Voyage’ (Traveller’s Notebook’’) at the Omenka Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos, Puchercos, a French photographer displayed photographic artworks, taken […]

With the aid of his cameras, Michel Puchercos has captured over 40 photographs, he aptly considered as the “day-to-day realities of Africans” that are relatively unknown to people in the outside world.

In an exhibition, tagged: ‘Carnet de Voyage’ (Traveller’s Notebook’’) at the Omenka Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos, Puchercos, a French photographer displayed photographic artworks, taken during sojourns in Africa.

“The pictures on display were taken during my time in two vibrant countries, Nigeria and Kenya. I did venture to capture the colours that bring to life the essence of Africa and an emotion that I saw in the people. I mean the emotion that range from joy to bliss but never melancholy or despondency,” Puchercos said.

According to the photographer, his pictures aim to take the viewer through all the senses that were aroused in the moment that the shutter of the camera was closed.

“In the sights that Michel captures, your imagination brings more senses and feelings to mind than simply what the eyes can see,” Hannah Oghene of the African Art Foundation and a key partaker in the exhibition, said.

Adding that, “His photographs bring to life the feel of the terrain of the Kenyan dessert, the crispness of the mountain air, the sounds of voices of the people echoing from the mountain trough in Kenya, the sheer majesty that is felt whilst being amongst a crowd of horses of such a magnitude at the Durbar in northern Nigeria, the sounds and smells of the sea and the work and life that surrounds marine life in Lagos riverine and most importantly through his photos what we can determine most is Michel’s love of portraying the people of these beautiful countries. He effectively captures their emotions.”

Yet, aside the artistic scenery and the natural splendour his pictures exude, Puchercos also seeks to be on the side of humanity. Organisers said as a way of honouring the people that he has captured through the power of his lens, Puchercos has chosen the exhibition with the sole aim of raising funds for the needy.

“He is exhibiting his experiences and people he has come across during his sojourn in Africa, some of whom are much less fortunate than he is. To this end, all money collected from the sale of the photographs will go to charity organization known as Casa Alba. This is because most of these pictures are about people and Michel wants to give back to those without whom, the output of these photographs would never have been,” Oghene said.

Established in 1989 in Onitsha, Anambra State, Casa Alba is a charity organization working to “enrich the lives of struggling young girls whom the world has forsaken.”

In achieving that objective, the charity organization is known to teach girls skills such as sewing and batik in a two-year programme meant to rehabilitate and empower them.