"Africa: Terra incognita? Heart of darkness? How about "stylish continent," as some magazine once wrote? The gigantic landmass that is Africa, over which a colonial shadow still looms, is a territory of projections and misunderstandings. It is also a theatre of war and a chamber for debate in which legions of ideologies argue for supremacy. "Africa," says Documenta 11 Artistic Director Okwui Enwezor, "must no longer be the psycho-sexual object of daydreams and nightmares of the Europeans," instead, the spotlight of Flash Afrique! focuses on a relatively little-known aspect of the art world that deserves to be brought out of this metaphoric colonial darkness and seen up close and in good light." "Layered and symbolic, the West African photographs illustrated and critically examined herein exist as fascinating and complex representations of a particular social reality. They tell stories about the tension between dreams and reality, between the production of desire and existing devastation. Elaborately arranged studio portraits reveal how Africa sees itself. Documentary images comment on the sheer craziness of overpopulated cities. And coversations with the photographers open up an art scene only recently begun to emerge from shadow."--BOOK JACKET.