voodoo – Mounted by the Gods
Voodoo. Benin, West Africa. Rhythmic drumming, whirling bodies, flashing eyes, magical rituals - unexpected, sometimes shocking scenes of the dark world of voodoo in Benin, West Africa. Over a period of twelve years, I documented this religion, its surreal ceremonies and the exceptional personalities of the monastic community. As a photographer and filmmaker, I managed to make my camera seemingly invisible and merge with the existing visual world.
Mounted by the Gods
“Mounted by the Gods” tells – with fascinating scenes and an innovative means of filming – of a journey into the mysterious world of African Voodoo. Venzago documents the immersion into this religion with impressive aesthetic and a vast amount of sensitivity.
„I was ready to lose my orientation.“
Alberto Venzago
The book
A glimpse into the world of Voodoo, this companion to a documentary produced by Wim Wenders presents photographs and film stills by celebrated photojournalist, Alberto Venzago. In 1988, Albert Venzago set out to cross Africa on a Vespa. After miles in the blistering heat, it broke down in a remote village in Benin. There he encountered Mahounon, one of the most influential voodoo priests of West Africa. Abandoning his planned trip, Venzago set out instead on an odyssey through the world of African voodoo, to which he and his camera gained extraordinary access.