Nothing’s in Vain

In 2011, Malagasy photographer Emmanuelle Andrianjafy arrived in the port city of Dakar, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean from the westernmost coast of Africa. For the first years of her migration, Andrianjafy was overwhelmed by the city. But eventually, she knew she had to confront her new environment.

Nothing’s in Vain is Andrianjafy’s response to the experience of uprooting to the Senegalese capital—“a city as vibrant as it is disorientating”. Her photography captures a metropolis teetering between construction and deconstruction. Each image careens between street scenes, portraits, landscapes, and close-up details, recreating Andrianjafy’s fluctuating experiences of a multifaceted city.

Presented by Photo Australia and the Metro Tunnel Creative Program for PHOTO 2021

On display from 18 February 2021