Adrien Bitibaly / Quatre Yeux

What is considered black magic?
 
This is a collection of works by Adrian Vitivary, a photographer from Burkina Faso, West Africa.
In Burkina Faso, tragic events (sudden death, illness, accidents...) or events that deviate from common sense are almost always the result of malicious intervention by others. It is interpreted as the result of black magic. As a result, many people are suspected of witchcraft, and the result is social annihilation. Growing up in this culture, Adrian Vitivary saw from an early age the meaning of traditional religion in Burkinabé society. Among these manifestations of faith, the curse of witchcraft always intrigued him. As a child, objects and places marked as haunted or haunted seemed perfectly normal, and he couldn't understand what could trigger such a curse. .
Magic remains elusive, supernatural, and unverifiable. But the consequences of accusations are very real. There are many inequalities and discrimination faced by those accused (as these accusations primarily target women).
As an adult, Adrian Bittivary traveled around the country meeting traditional priests with "four eyes." What is their role in this social practice? Can they be wrong, despite being the bearers of a power whose terms of use remain unknown to the majority? His photographic work aims to clarify what triggers accusations of witchcraft. His intention is not to prove the truth, but to explore the origins of popular beliefs.
This publication was supported by Cnap and the PACA region.
 
Publisher: Palais Books
Publication year: 2023
Number of pages pages: 112
Size: 185 x 240mm
Format: Bodoni, silver printing on black paper, screen-printed cover
Language: French and English
Accessories:
Condition: New
First Edition of 500 copies