Baudouin Mouanda's popularity grew to recognition throughout Africa, after being elected best photographer 2005, by the jury of the Academy of fine art in Kinshasa.
While studying journalism in Paris, he decided to work on the culture of S.A.P.E. (Societé des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elégantes/Society of Party Revellers and Elegant Persons), which was inspired by the elegance of French men and British dandies. On his return to his motherland in 2008, whilst travelling through the streets of the Bacongo district, Mouanda photographed the most extravagant yet finest of the Sapeurs in the Congolese capital. His work illustrates and examines the political developments going on in Congo.
In 2009 the series of the Sapeurs were selected for an exhibition 'L’art d’être un homme' (The art of being a Man) at the Musée Dapper in Paris, the Musée des Confluences in Lyon and the Musée de Charpre (2010). Shortly following in 2011, Baudouin came to explore other cities around the world including Huntly, Scotland, on a residency,developing the project Swagger: Ambient People's Elegance. In the same year he also followed up workshops along with a solo exhibtion at Gasworks, in both London and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Baudouin Mouanda
From the series Les Sapeurs, 2008