Ima Mfon
Untitled 09

Untitled 09

© 2015, Ima Mfon

Untitled 09
Untitled 09
ArtistNigerian, born 1989
CultureNigerian
Titles
  • Untitled 09
  • from the series Nigerian Identity
Date2015, printed 2017
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 19 15/16 × 19 7/8 in. (50.7 × 50.5 cm)
Sheet: 21 15/16 × 21 7/8 in. (55.8 × 55.5 cm)
Mount: 22 × 21 15/16 in. (55.9 × 55.7 cm)
Credit LineGift of the artist and Rick Wester Fine Art, Inc.
Object number2017.312
Non exposé

Explore Further

Department
Photography
Object Type
Description

When Ima Mfon moved from Nigeria to the United States, he
was troubled that his culture was subsumed into a broad racial category of
Blackness and pegged with erroneous stereo- types. “I use a plain background to
eliminate any cultural or ethnic context,” he said. “Viewers are not allowed to
place these subjects in the expected settings, whether of urban disrepair or
African wilderness. I want to contest the predictable ‘National Geographic’
approach to peoples who may be unfamiliar to the photographs’ viewers.” The
sparse images are powerful meditations on ethnicity and identity, and reveal
the importance of deeper cultural understanding.




ProvenanceThe artist; Rick Wester Fine Art, New York].
Exhibition History"Through an African Lens: Sub-Saharan Photography from the Museum's Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, February 27–November 8, 2020.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Printed in black, verso of mount, applied label: Ima Mfon // Nigerian Identity: Untitled No. 09, 2015 // Gelatin Silver Print, 2017 // 20 x 20 inches // Edition 1/5

Signed in black ink, verso of mount, applied label.
Signed in black ink, verso of mount, applied label.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

Untitled 13
Ima Mfon
2015, printed 2017
Gelatin silver print
2017.260
Untitled 03
Ima Mfon
2015, printed 2017
Gelatin silver print
2017.259
Untitled (09)
Gregory Crewdson
2009
Inkjet print
2022.819
Untitled #09 of 10
Ulay
1971
Gum bichromate print
2002.2504.9
uncropped recto of frame.  Image shot through glass
Jan Banning
2005
Inkjet print
2013.131
Untitled
Fukuhara Shinzô
no date
Gelatin silver print, modern print
2000.341
Untitled
Ralph Gibson
1986
Gelatin silver prints and chromogenic print
2002.1146.A-.C
Untitled
no date
Gelatin silver print
2002.3432
uncropped recto of sheet
1979
Gelatin silver print
2002.544
Untitled
1980s–1990s
Gelatin silver print
2002.3391
Untitled
no date
Gelatin silver print
2002.3309
Untitled
no date
Gelatin silver print with toning
2002.3442