It is 8pm in Addis Ababa on Saturday May 27th 2017, night has fallen and the rainy season has arrived earlier than usual. Tonight I am venturing alone into the neighbourhood of Siddist Kilo, looking for everyday scenes to add to this project. The alleys are dark and the ageing power grid brings light only in places. Small workshops here and there stand out like beacons, oases of light in the gloom.
My Ethiopian friend Dawit is resting, recovering from the frenetic pace of the last few weeks. We have spent many evenings and nights exploring the residential districts of the Ethiopian capital, meeting its inhabitants. The night shops offer the perfect context to understand and share their daily life and dreams.
I first discovered Ethiopia a year ago, almost to the day. Now I am here for the second time, to put together a more global photographic project about this fascinating country.
As I walk down the streets of Addis Ababa at dusk, the night shops create incredible compositions of light and dark. They catch my eye immediately, and the collection "Addis Ababa Mata Souks", or "The Night Shops of Addis Ababa" is born.
As the Headquarters of the African Union since 1963, Addis Ababa is undergoing rapid development, which does not benefit everyone. Construction sites disproportionately tower over the small street shops whose traders are trying to improve their everyday life. Meanwhile, the South-East of the country faces an alarming food shortage.
Because of ongoing political and ethnic tensions, the state of emergency in place in the country renders photography complicated, particularly off the main tourist trail. On top of the traders, we had to negotiate and debate with suspicious police officials and junkies high on Khat. For the sake of discretion and speed, all shots were taken handheld, with my camera out on show for as short a time as possible.
This photographic approach aims to be both documentary and artistic. The resulting pictures compose bright scenes framed by darkness. In approaching a little over fifty shops, it allowed us to connect with many local people, thereby revealing a snapshot of their existence. Not unlike the works of Eugène Atget, who methodically photodocumented the streets and businesses of Paris from the end of the 19th century.
The book of this project is available on my website
More info: jefflecardiet.com
Nightshop n°26
Addis nocturne 3
Addis nocturne 5
Nightshop n°42
Nightshop n°23
Bisrat and Talhua work long hours in their barber shop at this time of the year. Families are gathering to celebrate Easter. Christianity is the majority religion in Ethiopia, dominated by the Orthodox Church and introduced to the country around 330AD.
Nightshop n°49
Legend has it that coffee was discovered by a shepherd in the Kaffa region of Ethiopia. He apparently noticed his goats dancing after eating curious red berries on a shrub. Coffee is an integral part of Ethiopian culture.
Nightshop n°44
Addis nocturne 7
Nightshop n°31
Nightshop n°38
Nightshop n°18
Water is called "wouha" in Amharic. Sama sells it in his shop to better digest the leaves of Khat. Stored in bags on the counter, this natural amphetamine is chewed by a large part of the population.
Addis nocturne 6
Nightshop n°50
In the heart of Addis Ababa, the Piazza area is very lively. Modern shops can be found next to cafes and other entertainment venues. This toy shop stands out by its originality and quickly catches the attention of passersby.
Nightshop n°41
A few minutes from the imposing headquarters of the African Union built by China, some shops are isolated in small streets. Only the neighbour-hood residents know that they exist.
Addis nocturne 9
It is 11pm, the last shops are closing. People of Addis Ababa will slowly drift off to sleep with their dreams of hope and a better life.