User:MountainWidget4/sandbox

Keïta did not record the identity of thousands of Malians that passed by his studio. Since 1948, he had meticulously preserved all his photo negatives which he estimated ranged from 7,000 to 30,000. His archives were categorized by broad types (e.g couples, groups, and single full-figures) then subcategorized by date. Every few years, Keïta would renew his studio props, which would later help establish the chronology of his work. Keïta wanted to portray Mali’s memories and traditions stating that, he wanted “to take pictures of our rural people during harvest time, and the ritual ceremonies that go about then." That is where the essence of Mali comes out.” Elizabeth Bigham, a scholar at Columbia University, describes how the period shaped his art, saying that, “his studio was born during the immense economic and demographic boom that swept Bamako in the years after World War II.” He remained famous in Mali despite his retirement in 1977. In an article for African Arts, Keïta explained that he quit photography once color became successful. In 1991, Keïta’s work became known outside of West Africa when his works were shown anonymously at the Center for African Art in New York City.