Friday 3rd April, 2015 – Gaya Art Café, The Gambia, West Africa
It was an honour to have Gambian team members present (above), at the exhibition opening, from both the ‘Short Walk in the Gambian Bush – 930km African odyssey‘ 2009 (on which Florio’s ‘Silafando‘ portraits were shot), and from ‘River Gambia – 1044km source-sea African odyssey‘, 2013-14, expeditions.
What a pleasure to welcome so many familiar faces and to meet new ones. It’s also not uncommon, at Gambian events, to rub shoulders – have a chat over a drink and canapés, as one does – with Ministers, Ambassadors, High Commissioners… . It’s what I really like about being in this tiny West Africa country – few people, however important their status, are truly unapproachable (Jason even had a brief tête-à-tête with the President a short while ago). For us, this informality has been invaluable in procuring official letters of introduction, to ease our passage as we travelled along by land and river, on both our West Africa expeditions.
So, thank you to all those dignitaries who came to support our arts and culture event last Friday, and especially to friends, old and new. Jason and I came away feeling that we’d tasted a little slice of the exhibition gatherings we love to frequent – when we are at home in New York – here at Gaya Art Café, in The Gambia.
Speaking of Gaya’s – huge thanks to everyone there for all their support and for allowing us to exhibit the Gambian chiefs in such a splendid setting. You guys rock – as does Gregor O’ Gorman, who curates the exhibitions there.
If you missed the opening, fear not. The exhibition will run until the end of April, 2015 – Mon-Saturday – outside in the garden and inside the restaurant.
You can see Jason Florio’s complete, award-winning, ‘Silafando‘ body of work on his website : floriophoto.com
The Florios – Helen & Jason
PHOTOS TELL STORIES - documentary | filmmaking | photography | people | travel 