Maurice Pellosh

Maurice Pellosh

human

Ein sex anaa gender	male
Country wey e be citizen	Republic of the Congo
Name wey dem give am	Maurice
Pseudonym	Pellosh
Ein date of birth	15 August 1951
Place dem born am	Bouansa
Date wey edie	25 May 2023
Place wey edie	Pointe-Noire
Ein occupation	photographer

Maurice Bidilou, dem sanso know am as Pellosh, na he be a Congolese portrait photographer (15 August 1951 — 25 May 2023).

He produce small den medium format photographs wey dey capture de Congolese society insyd de early 1970s to mid 1990s.

Insyd 2016, he close ein studio. Na he gain newfound recognition insyd 2021 after a series of solo shows. Aged 70, dem finally recognise am as one of de last living masters of African photography.

Early years

Na dem born Maurice Pellosh into a family of farmers insyd de southern rural area of Bouansa (Congo-Brazzaville). For middle school, he choose de nickie "Pellosh" after de word "pelloche", de slang equivalent to film.

Maurice Pellosh move go Pointe-Noire for de age of seventeen plus ein brother. After he work a few odd jobs make he sustain einself, he decide make he pursue photography studies plus de support of ein uncle. Insyd 1971, he start an apprenticeship for Studio Janot Père for exchange for a demijohn of wine, a chicken, a bunch of bananas, den 20,000 CFA francs. He spend twenty months wey he dey study den dey practice de principles of light, shadows den nuances.

Photographic career

Officially a trained photographer insyd 1973, he order ein first camera from France: a 6x6 Yashica mat-124 G. He work as a wandering photographer insyd de Mayombé area, wey he dey capture rural life.