Malick Sidibé, first African Golden Lion winner, dies at 80

Malick Sidibé, the Malian photographer who became the first African artist to win the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Venice Biennale, has died in Bamako at age 80. The award was presented in 2007 by Biennale director Robert Storr, recognizing Sidibé's role in elevating photography in Africa and documenting the continent's cultural transformations from the mid-20th to early 21st century. Sidibé began his career in the 1970s, shifting from popular culture and documentary photography to studio portraiture. Major solo exhibitions include the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Centre d'Art Contemporain Geneva, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and Hasselblad Center Gothenburg, where he received the 2003 Hasselblad Award. In Italy, he showed at Galleria Guido Costa in Turin, Corsoveneziaotto in Milan, and Museo Hendrik C. Andersen in Rome. A 2010 survey was held at Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia. Sidibé remained based in Mali throughout his career, often paired with fellow photographer Seydou Keita.