Artist François-Xavier Gbré's photographic series "Radio Ballast" made its US debut in a duo exhibition at the International Center of Photography in late January. The work documents the century-old railroad system in Côte d'Ivoire, built by French colonizers, exploring the country's colonial history, independence, and modernization through landscapes, train stations, and the communities shaped by the railway.
Gbré's work is significant for its role as visual archaeology, actively filling historical gaps and preserving the memory of the African continent. By interrogating infrastructure born from colonialism and its evolution post-independence, his photography provides a critical portal to the past, contributing to a broader, more nuanced telling of history that extends beyond written records. The exhibition highlights the power of contemporary image-making to engage with complex legacies of power, economy, and culture.