Doeba Bropleh

Raised in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa, Doeba, inspired by Gordon Parks’ Half Past Autumn, began studying photography at PhotoCentral (Hayward, California) in 2002. He shot the cover and center-spread for the Liberia-based magazine: Liberia Travel & Life (2008 Volume 1, Issue 3). Doeba is also the featured artist for the May 2008 issue of the art and literary journal: Sea Breeze Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings (www.liberiaseabreeze.com). Doeba did a solo show at the University of California at Davis during the run of Esailama Diouf’s dance theatre “Sauce Roux” (2002) and his photographs, many of which are of scenes from Liberia, have been on display in various group shows in the San Francisco Bay Area. Several photographs from Doeba’s 2008 trip home to Liberia are slated to be included in PhotoCentral’s Spring Show scheduled for March 2009.

In addition to photography, Doeba also enjoys writing. His stories and articles have been published in the award-winning literary journals: Milvia Street and Sea Breeze Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings. He has also been published in the leading magazine for social justice in Africa: Pambazuka News (www.pambazuka.org).

This is what Doeba said about his approach to photography:

“I strive to ‘paint with light’ in a way that invites varying interpretations. My attempt at photography, at its core, is an examination of a restless spirit searching for a medium of expression. Still in synthesis, I envision my photographic theme (and style) evolving to evoke a certain ‘Africanness’, a certain realm of self that reveals and revels in the inherent beauty of the Mother continent.”

This is what he said about the photographs in the Africa Now! Exhibition:

“These photographs resonate with me as metaphors of Liberia’s current moment of post-war rebirth. They are meant to point to Liberia’s potential. The country can have a bright future, despite the devastation of the recent war that ended in 2003, if citizens and friends of Liberia muster the political and social will to do what is right.”

“Whatever success I have achieved I owe to the untiring support from my family.”