Stanley Greene
Nigeria’s hoard of photography talents as well as the urge to document the disturbing e-waste problem in Lagos drew the Paris-based African-American photographer Stanley Greene to Lagos. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports
He’s Stanley Greene. Azu Nwagbogu – the African Artists’ Foundation chairman – had good reasons to be brief, as he introduced this beret-sporting man in dark attire. For it was quite a strain talking above the hubbub of the art aficionados swarming the bar of this Ikoyi-based hotel called The Wheatbaker.
It’s obvious: Greene must be some kind of artist. To this fact, his bohemian looks attest. His American accent proclaims his provenance. Born to middleclass parents, both of whom were actors in Harlem, he is currently based in Paris.
“For how long?” his interviewer wanted to know.
“Two years,” he replied.
He must be fluent in French, then. Or is he not?
He shook his head and replied almost apologetically: “Un peu.”
A little! How come? After two years?
“I’m visual,” he offered as though that should explain everything.
Greene is a photographer. He received his first camera from his parents when he was only 11 years old. But, curiously, he first traipsed into painting before seriously practicing photography. Indeed, his first credible shots were taken to catalogue materials for his paintings.
A true son of his father, who was blacklisted as a communist in the 1950s, he was soon wooed and won over by the polemics of the anti-war movement and the Black Panther Party. It was only in 1971, that a photographer friend of his, W. Eugene Smith prodded him into the medium by offering him space in his studio and also encouraged him to enroll at the School of Visual Arts in New York and the San Francisco Art Institute.
His experience in photography included documenting the performances of rock bands and working as a photojournalist at the New York newspaper, Newsday.
Rummaging further into his biography reveals that he once photographed for fashion in Paris and once lounged in cafes “taking pictures of girls and doing heroin.”
He soon kicked the drug habit, taking a head long plunge into photography after a friend died of AIDS. His photo-journalism began in earnest during the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 when of his image titled, ‘Kisses to All, Berlin Wall, became iconic.
A close shave with death during a coup attempt against the then Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, further burnished his renown. This was while he worked for the Paris-based photo agency, Agence Vu, in October 1993.
There was also his hair-raising coverage of such war-torn countries as Azebaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Somalia, Kasmir, Chechnya and Lebanon, as well as his pictorial documentation of the Rwandan genocide and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
His 2004 book, titled Open Wound, documented the anguish that the latest conflict in Chechnya’s centuries-long struggle for independence from Russia left in its trail.
Greene, Nwagbogu explained above the din of the crowd of art enthusiasts, was in Lagos for a photography workshop. So why did he want to work with Nigerian photographers?
It all began during the first workshop organised by the Amsterdam-based photo-agency Noor, in partnership with Nikon, held a couple of years back. Even though the workshop was open to all African photographers, Greene was especially impressed by the Nigerians.
“From what I’d seen the young Nigerians seem to have a real fire in the belly, passion and desire.”
Etched in his memory of that workshop was his experience of working with Lagos-based photographers like George Osodi, Caline Chagoury, Stephen Sangotoye, Ohwo Sunday, Olalekan Adedeji and Wome Uyeye during a workshop
“They came every day and sat through everything with a real thirst to learn and experience the passion. I got to work with Olayinka Sangotoye and Ohwo Sunday. They came along to help me to document the e-waste problem in Lagos.”
As for Sangotoye, he believes that with a little guidance, he could someday become a great photographer.
For all of Greene’s faith in the skills of Nigerian photographers, he recognises the challenges they have to face in their environment. “The greatest challenge facing Nigerian photographers today is access.
Putting them in front of international editors and making them understand the other side of the business is imperative. Today's top agencies do not have African photographers and that means Nigerians. And there is abundance of talent in this country, just needing a chance to shine.”
Buoyed with a rich artistic pedigree, Nigerian photographers have a treasure chest of references to draw from.
“Photographers, curators and historians should and must begin to collect historical references from the history of Nigerian photography, covering the past 100 years,” he suggested.
This, he added, would require lots of research and funding. “As we spend time collecting modern and contemporary art, so should we with contemporary photography. We should also set up a permanent place for such an important collection.”
Greene thinks Nigerian photographers have a great chance to document their own history. “Normally, international press send foreign shooters to cover stories. In other places in the world, local photographers are the ones the international media rely on for stories in their own countries.
“It should be the same mindset for Nigerian photographers. But they seriously must rise to the challenge with a complete backbone of professionalism. In other words, they must be seen as the best of the best, because they will be watched and marked. But they must remember what makes a great journalist is the one who comes back with and from the story.”
With Nigeria garnering attention from the world’s satellite networks these days for unflattering reasons, photographers are compelled to swing into action. How do they respond to these situations?
“If you live in a country, it is important to remember that you must be objective. Personal feelings aside, you are there to document, tell the story and stay focused. Do not step outside of your job, focus on the assignment, get it done and come back safely.”
It wasn’t politics that brought Greene to Nigeria. He had heard so much about the e-waste problem in Lagos and came here to document it. “I am concerned about the amount of waste produced and dumped in Lagos State, a situation which is not surprising considering the fact that Lagos happens to possess one of the smallest landmasses amongst the states in Nigeria, but has to bear the brunt of 12% of the country’s population.”
Documentation also includes highlighting the danger such wastes poses for people. This includes being exposed to the chemicals that make up e-waste. The chemicals comprise toxic agents like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), copper, lead, zinc, gold, iron, thallium, and mercury. “Lead is poisonous for the nervous system and progressively attacks the brain’s functions. Very high toxic levels can lead to paralysis. Cadmium is the main component in some batteries and circuit boards and causes cancer. The aim of this project is to create awareness on the consequences of e-waste and proffer possible solutions.”
The conversation soon steered away from his apocalyptic vision of the Lagos environment.
“What is your impression of the Lagos arts scene?” the interviewer asked.
“To be honest, I have only seen very little of the art and culture scene because of the protest, strikes and the power cuts,” he began. “But there are the short moments, when I could go and hear music, see an art exhibition.
At the African Artists’ Foundation, where I was sleeping and did the workshop, I was surrounded by art. Every room is full of breathtaking art, a real rich visual feast. This foundation is important because it shows the works in a space, which offers a rawness and enhances the arts that adorn the walls with vitality and magic.”
On the African Artists’ Foundation, he said: “It has the great potential to be the absolute beacon to promote photography in Nigeria and Africa.
Also, with the respect it has gained, it will bring the international community to its doors.”
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