Autoportrait by Samuel Fosso explores identity and self-representation through a varied photographic strategy that employs elaborate costumes, props, and makeup. The images traverse performative self-portraits that question social roles, historical figures, and personal narratives, producing a multifaceted visual dialogue on race, gender, and culture.

Using vivid color and intricate staging, Fosso’s work constructs a mood oscillating between theatricality and introspection. The portraits convey a complex negotiation of past and present identities, reflecting on personal and collective histories within African and diasporic contexts. The 188 pages provide a substantial survey of this influential photographic practice.

Autoportrait was published in 2020 by Steidl with ISBN 9783958296121.