BARNOR, James. The Roadmaker.

(France and England): Maison CF and RRB Photobooks, 2021.  First edition.  Hardcover.  31cm by 28cm. Unpaginated.  Introductory essay by Dr Damarice Amao, photography historian and curator, in French and English.  Beautiful volume, a new retrospective book of work by photographer James Barnor drawing from across his career, demonstrating his modernism and inherent skill as a colourist. The publication of the book coincides with the exhibition James Barnor: Ghanaian Modernist at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery from 17 May 2021 as part of Bristol Photo Festival, and a major retrospective of Barnor’s work at Serpentine, London from 20 May 2021.  The volume includes photographs from the time of Ghana’s independence, scenes of multi-cultural London, and later images recording a strong postcolonial identity in Ghana. The metaphor of the road in the book’s title, suggests the continuity between the past and the present, tradition and progress, and the links between generations and peoples of different contents present in Barnor’s work. A near fine copy in boards with inset photo-plate.