A monographic exhibition dedicated to Daniel Rakotoseheno, known as Dany Be (1935 - 2021)

DANY BE

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

This exhibition brings together 127 photographs by Dany Be, the majority of which are previously unseen.

We chose not to separate Dany Be's professional commitment as a photojournalist from his artistic practice, but rather to place these two dimensions of his work in dialogue with one another.

On the one hand, a number of photographic series refer directly to specific contexts and fields such as politics, social affairs, sport and leisure. On the other, they express the photographer's singular gaze upon places and landscapes, situations and circumstances encountered throughout the island of Madagascar — in urban centres, rural areas and even the most remote regions.

Dany Be's photographs often convey the profound sense of proximity he maintained with his surroundings. Working within a humanist photographic tradition, he immortalised fleeting moments and scenes of everyday life, creating portraits of those close to him as well as anonymous individuals encountered by chance. At times, he simply captured the spirit of an era.

Spanning several decades, Dany Be's images take us back through time. They immerse us in the major historical events that have shaped Madagascar's political, economic, social and cultural trajectory since Independence in 1960. Through an invaluable network of contacts and professional relationships, Dany Be found himself at the heart of decisive moments — periods of protest, transition and transformation that profoundly marked the country's history.

Interwoven with his personal story, shaped by the many challenges he encountered throughout his career as a photojournalist, this body of work demonstrates strong affinities with the great traditions of humanist photography. More importantly, it reveals how Dany Be's destiny repeatedly intersected with that of his country, establishing him as an exceptional witness to history.

Dany Be understood early on that Madagascar's modern history was gradually fading from the collective memory of younger generations. In parallel with his commitment to freedom of opinion and freedom of expression, the transmission of knowledge to younger audiences became one of his foremost concerns, particularly during the latter part of his life.

He was also a leading figure within Madagascar's photographic community. Alongside Revue Noire, and together with Pierrot Men and Emile Rakotondrazaka (known as Ramily), he contributed to some of the earliest research dedicated to the history of Malagasy photography at the end of the 1990s.

We would like to acknowledge the trust and active involvement of Dany Be's family, without whom this exhibition would not have been possible. By shedding light on the artistic, social and political commitment that characterised his life and work, this exhibition seeks to offer the first major tribute to Dany Be's photographic legacy.

Rina Ralay-Ranaivo · Jean-Loup Pivin

April 2024