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The Guardian·United Kingdom·Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 06:00 AM UTC

‘You have to dance like everybody else!’ Burkina Faso in full colour – in pictures

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Guardian staff reporter

One of West Africa’s most prolific photographers, Sanlé Sory (b.1943, Burkina Faso) took an estimated million photographs over six decades, showing the profound social and political changes in Burkina Faso. The new exhibition ‘Colour Years’ captures a lesser-known chapter of his career. All portraits taken in Volta Photo Studio, Burkina Faso.Sanlé Sory: Colour Years runs 14th Oct 2026 – 21st Feb 2027 — One of west Africa’s most prolific photographers, Sanlé Sory took an estimated one million photographs over six decades, showing the profound social and political changes in Burkina Faso. A new exhibition Colour Years captures a lesser-known chapter of his career. Sanlé Sory: Colour Years is at the Photographers’ Gallery, London until 21 February 2027. All portraits were taken in Sory’s Volta Photo Studio, Burkina Faso. All photographs: Sanlé Sory, 2026. Courtesy of Tezeta

Sory’s colour prints, meticulously restored from the negatives in his archive, will be on show, alongside Volta Jazz album covers featuring his portraits of the influential bands that flourished after Burkina Faso’s independence. — Sory’s colour prints, meticulously restored from the negatives in his archive, will be on show, alongside Volta Jazz album covers featuring his portraits of the influential bands that flourished after Burkina Faso’s independence in 1960

Better known for his black-and-white studio photography of the 1960s and 70s, Sanlé Sory started producing colour portraits in his Volta Photo studio in the mid-1980s. Colour Years reveals a dynamic portrait of a rapidly changing community and society in Burkina Faso across decades of political shifts, global exchange and self-expression through fashion, music and attitude. — Better known for his black-and-white studio photography of the 1960s and 70s, Sory started producing colour portraits in his Volta Photo studio in the mid-1980s

Colour Years reveals a dynamic portrait of a rapidly changing community and society in Burkina Faso across decades of political shifts, global exchange and self-expression through fashion, music and attitude. — The work reveals a dynamic portrait of a rapidly changing community and society in Burkina Faso across decades of political shifts, global exchange and self-expression through fashion, music and attitude

When asked why he moved over to colour, Sory said, “When you are in a place where everybody dances, you have to try to dance like everyone else!” His clients wanted a new way to see and show themselves, and he gave it to them. — When asked why he moved over to colour, Sory said: ‘When you are in a place where everybody dances, you have to try to dance like everyone else!’ His clients wanted a new way to see and show themselves, and he gave it to them

Sanlé Sory first came to photography when he needed an identity photograph. After several years learning his trade as an apprentice, he set up his own studio in 1960 when he was 17. He kitted his studio out with props and hand-painted backdrops to attract clients in his hometown of Bobo-Dioulasso. — Sory first came to photography when he needed an identity photograph. After several years learning his trade as an apprentice, he set up his own studio in 1960 when he was 17. He kitted his studio out with props and hand-painted backdrops to attract clients in his hometown of Bobo-Dioulasso

His clients chose their clothes, hairstyles, props and poses with great care. However, his portraits are about more than fashion and style. They tell a story of everyday life after the huge changes brought by the country’s independence from France. — His clients chose their clothes, hairstyles, props and poses with great care. However, his portraits are about more than fashion and style. They tell a story of everyday life after the huge changes brought by the country’s independence from France

From studio portraits of families, couples and friends, to identity photographs and portraits of traders and shopkeepers in the local market, Sory’s photographs are a vivid portrait of a country in transition and a community ready to embrace change. — From studio portraits of families, couples and friends, to identity photographs and portraits of traders and shopkeepers in the local market, Sory’s photographs are a vivid portrait of a country in transition and a community ready to embrace change

‘The shift from black-and-white to colour is about far more than technology; it mirrors a changing Burkina Faso. Sanlé Sory embraced colour in the mid-1980s, as the country moved through the revolutionary years of Thomas Sankara and into an increasingly globalised era. His photographs don’t just record changing fashions; they capture a society reimagining itself and expressing new ideas of identity, aspiration and modernity’ — Taos Dahmani, curator at the Photographers’ Gallery, says: ‘The shift from black-and-white to colour is about far more than technology; it mirrors a changing Burkina Faso. Sanlé Sory embraced colour in the mid-1980s, as the country moved through the revolutionary years of Thomas Sankara and into an increasingly globalised era. His photographs don’t just record changing fashions; they capture a society reimagining itself and expressing new ideas of identity, aspiration and modernity’

‘Sory is one of West Africa’s most prolific photographers. It has been enriching and enlightening to look through his archive and select and sequence some of the most poignant colour images he made for our book.’ Stuart Smith, Director, GOST — A book, Volta Colour by Sanlé Sory, is also available through GOST. Director Stuart Smith writes: ‘Sory is one of West Africa’s most prolific photographers. It has been enriching and enlightening to look through his archive and select and sequence some of the most poignant colour images he made for our book’

As a teenager, Sory photographed automobile accidents around Bobo-Dioulasso, which he would race to document on his motorcycle. Following the opening of his Volta studio in the 60’s he developed a reputation as a photographer of the Burkinabe club scene in the 1960s and 70s. — As a teenager, Sory photographed automobile accidents around Bobo-Dioulasso, which he would race to document on his motorcycle. Following the opening of his Volta studio in the 60s he developed a reputation as a photographer of the Burkinabe club scene in the 1960s and 70s

In 2021, the fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner released a line of clothing ‘Volta Jazz’, inspired by Sory’s photographs. The line included a film by the same name, created by Joshua Woods. — In 2021, the fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner released Volta Jazz, a line of clothing inspired by Sory’s photographs, which included a film by the same name, created by Joshua Woods

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