The catalogue is published on the occasion of the exhibition curated by Filippo Maggia at the Magazzino delle Idee in Trieste, from 18 February to 11 June 2023. Seydou Keïta and Malick Sidibé, born into modest families, began their careers in small studios in Bamako, the capital of Mali, and with their cameras recorded years that were crucial for the history of the country and of Africa. Of a later generation is Samuel Fosso, who also started in a studio and turned the self-portrait into a form of political and cultural invention.