The photographic practice of Halida Boughriet draws upon archival research and personal testimony to create performative, fictionalized tableaux that challenge dominant historical narratives. In her large-format series Les Absents du décor (Absent from the scene), the artist recreates spaces of memory, interweaving traces of complex migration journeys with interiors punctuated by stereotypical western elements. In so doing, she honours the intergenerational influence of migration and diaspora, including those of Tirailleurs. On an aesthetic register, Boughriet consciously challenges western conventions of portraiture and features interior settings in which exaggerated lighting, classical furnishings, and decorative objects are positioned to theatrical effect. The visual formality of the images and their deliberate framing invite the viewer to interrogate what is being represented. What is the relationship between these individuals and the material objects that surround them? In La Femme aux fleurs pois bleu (Woman with Blue Polka Dot Flowers, 2020–21), among many other details, the interior scene is dominated by the intricate scrollwork and trompe l’oeil florals of gold and burgundy wallpaper reminiscent of French rococo. To the right of the frame, a woman sits elegantly on a similarly classical-style chair, with a defiant yet calm expression embodying beauty and dignity. Her contemporary sleek black pumps contrast with the dress she is wearing, the patterned textile of red and blue nodding to more traditional costume. A hint of the context can be found in the trio of images hung next to her on the wall: French colonial-era postcards of Fulani women depicted in stereotypical poses. Here the colonial history of Guinea and the treatment of women and members of marginalized ethnic groups in the region, such as the Fulani, are deconstructed and revived, underlining the enduring tradition of female resistance to patriarchal and colonial repression.

Works in the exhibition: Les absents du décor ‘La femme au paon bleu’ (2018), 180 × 270 cm, reproduction; Les absents du décor ‘La femme aux fleurs pois bleu’ (2020–21), 180 × 270 cm, reproduction. Both courtesy of the artist