Unseen Amsterdam Photo Fair featuring NYC Salt
Malike Sidibe, Hakeem (2021)
Written by Olivia Young
Copy Edited by Erin Pedigo
Photo Edited by Yanting Chen
From September 15-18, Unseen will be hosting their 2022 photography fair in Westergas, Amsterdam. As a company that provides exposure to emerging artists, they are pleased to feature NYC Salt as a participant. NYC Salt is an organization that strives to use photography as a mode of engagement. With a focus on the youth of underserved communities, NYC Salt instructs, mentors, and guides these individuals in order to provide them with an established sense of identity. This year, they will be presenting the work of Malike Sidibe and Daniel Martinez.
@nycsalt @malikesidibe
Although he is currently renowned for images he produced during the Black Lives Matter movement, Malike Sidibe’s photography most often captures a subject in a surreal state. With images abundant in color, he utilizes the concept of motion to evoke a visual trance. This is apparent in his 2019 piece, titled Tia. A woman is seen leaning backwards, an elegance in her stance as one hand rests on her forehead and the other drapes at her side. A silk scarf is in the frame, rippling, its movement enhancing that of the woman’s. This is a theme that can be expected from Sidibe’s feature, that of integrating action into a visual to further characterize the subject.
Daniel Martinez, Brotherly, 2019
Differing from this surreal approach, is the equally profound work of Daniel Martinez. Titled, A Gated Community, this series is based in the basketball court Martinez frequented throughout his youth. Drawn from a place of true sincerity, these images translate the abstract notion of community into concrete moments. The series tries to express why we gravitate toward spaces that are familiar and comforting to us, as well as the bonds created as a result. One photo, titled Brotherly, shows a much older, more grown up sibling next to his younger child counterpart. They are wearing basketball athletic attire and from this there comes an inferred sense of admiration and mentorship. As with all the photos showcased in this collection, Brotherly feels candid while being composed with an air of nostalgia.
Daniel Martinez, NYFC, 2019
From September 15-18, the times for each showing of Malike Sidibe’s and Daniel Martinez’s work will vary. Tickets for the show can be purchased online and presented at Unseen Amsterdam, located in Westergasfabriek Klonne plein 1, 1014 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
