First Génération

In 2014, Carolina Arantes began First Generation, a long-term project revolving around the first generation of French women of West African descent. With the aim of giving them greater visibility, the photographer set out to meet these women. At the heart of the book, their voices echo through the photographs and archival documents, revealing an often hidden reality. In contact with them, the artist’s Brazilian traditions – imbued with their own in many respects – resurfaced in the shared past of colonization. “It gave me a broader vision of the world. I hope that this work will enable other people (especially those not involved) to have a better understanding of our identities, of our humanism. Because times are changing. This is a committed generation that no longer accepts certain mores stemming from a colonialist vision. These women are aware of their own value and the value of African culture in history”, she stresses.