Photographer's 20-Year Quest Celebrates Black Europeans
British photographer Johny Pitts spent two decades capturing the vibrant, everyday lives of Black Europeans across the continent. His stunning exhibition "Black Bricolage" now fills a Paris gallery with images that challenge how Europe sees itself.
For 20 years, Johny Pitts traveled through Europe with a simple but powerful question: what does it actually mean to be Black and European?
His answer is now on display at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris. "Black Bricolage" showcases photographs, notebooks, and documents from cities across the continent, capturing ordinary moments that rarely make headlines.
The British photographer visited Paris, Berlin, Lisbon, Marseille, and Brussels with his camera. He documented the daily lives, celebrations, and quiet dignity of communities that are often invisible in mainstream European narratives.
Pitts turned the word "Afropean" into his life's work. The term, which originated in music culture, became the foundation for a photographic journey that challenges how the continent sees itself.
His work arrives at a crucial moment. Europe continues to grapple with questions of identity, belonging, and the lingering effects of colonialism.
The exhibition doesn't shy away from difficult topics. Pitts discusses the racist backlash faced by public figures, from a Paris mayor to a Harry Potter actor, showing how discrimination persists even as these communities thrive.
Why This Inspires
What makes Pitts' work so powerful is its insistence on joy and normalcy. He doesn't focus solely on struggle or hardship but on the rich, layered lives that Black Europeans live every day.
His photographs reveal communities building culture, raising families, and shaping their cities. They show people who aren't defined by their response to racism but by their full humanity.
The exhibition challenges viewers to expand their mental image of what "European" looks like. For two decades, Pitts has been creating a visual record that says: this is Europe too, and it always has been.
Pitts believes Europe has "a picture of itself it hasn't yet dared to look at." His exhibition invites the continent to finally take that look and see the beauty, complexity, and belonging that has always been there.
More Images
Based on reporting by France 24 English
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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