- EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHERS (J-Z)
List
Africa .
- Abraham Kodja – Côte d’Ivoire
- Ahmed Khirelsid – Sudan
- Ariel Kasongo – DRC
- Amine Machitouen – Morocco
- Ammar Altahir – Sudan
- Ashenafe Mestika – Ethiopia
- Aya N’zue – Côte d’Ivoire
- Barbara Khaliyesa Minishi – Kenya
- Bereket Tassew – Ethiopia
- Boris Nassibi – Cameroon
- Christian Sinibaldi – Nigeria
- Damilare Adeyemi – Nigeria
- Daniel Sekyi Attah – Ghana
- Diallo Mamadou – Côte d’Ivoire
- Djibril Drame – Senegal
- Doglo Joannès – Benin
- Eden Tesfaye – Ethiopia
- Ephrem Kibebew – Ethiopia
- Ericke Tjiueza – Namibia
- Fion Ferhat Bouda – Algeria
- George Mercurius – Egypt
- Godiva Omoruyi – Nigeria
- Hafsa Boreal Mohammed – Sudan
- Jaili Hajo – Sudan
- Jean-Yves Gauze – Côte d’Ivoire
- Josue Kakou – Côte d’Ivoire
- Kevin Kabambi – DRC
- Konkobo Jean Luc – Côte d’Ivoire
- Kossua Mariette Kouame – Côte d’Ivoire
- Kouame Karen – Côte d’Ivoire
- Kwete Bope Hardy – DRC
- Mahad Egal – Somaliland
- Mahad Mohamed Mohamud – Somalia
- Medi Bundjoko – DRC
- Merzagui Ahmed – Algeria
- Mohamed Anwar – Egypt
- Mosab Abushama – Sudan
- Mustafa Saeed – Somaliland
- N’cho Jean-Louis – Côte d’Ivoire
- Nsikanabasi Effiong – Nigeria
- Otome Onoge Kajogbola – Nigeria
- Ouattara Idriss – Côte d’Ivoire
- Oyewole Lawal – Nigeria
- Paskaline Maiyo – Kenya
- Peter Irungu – Kenya
- Philip Senanu – Ghana
- Prince “Uhunoma” Charles – Nigeria
- Bizenga Prince Bizenga Debiz – DRC
- Rafaliarifaly Ratsima Henitsoa – Madagascar
- Thandolwemfundo Ngidi – South Africa
- Shams Saber Radwan – Egypt
- Shrouk Ghonim – Egypt
- Skander Khlif – Tunisia
- Sira Konté Séne – Senegal
- Sogo Oladele – Nigeria
- Sosina Mengistu – Ethiopia
- Wilfrid Massamba – Congo
- Yawo Enok Tsevi – Togo
- Yvann Zahui – Côte d’Ivoire
Asia .
- Ebrahim Alipoor – Iran
- Fion Hung – Hong Kong
- Kianoush Saadati – Iran
- Muhammad Amdad Hossain – Bangladesh
- Rasha Al Jundi & Michael Jabareen – Palestine
- Wang Xue Sophia – China
Europe .
- Chad Alexander – UK
- Cesar Dezfuli – Spain
- Gerald Marie-Nelly – UK
- Grace Springer – UK
- Moschetti Jean-Claude – France
- Natalija Gormalova – Latvia
- Nelia Dos Santos Azevedo – Portugal
- Robin Chaddah-Duke – UK
- Rosalind Doherty – UK
- Svenja Krueger – Germany
North America .
- Lucas Foglia – USA
South America .
- Carolina Arantes Silva Moreira – Brazil
Jean-Yves Gauze
Côte d'Ivoire
Jean-Yves Gauze
Côte d'Ivoire
Gauze Jean-Yves (b.1997, Côte d’Ivoire) is an Ivorian-Rwandan conceptual artist and photographer based in Abidjan. He began his artistic journey with photography and further developed his skills through the Africa Foto Fair workshops curated by renowned photographer Aida Muluneh. Through a conceptual and critical approach, Gauze’s work explores the dynamic interplay of digital technologies, visual culture, and memory in shaping our relationship with images. His work has recently gained recognition at Belgrade Photo Month Screening Nights and in esteemed publications such as Prazzle Journal Vol. 1, No! Wahala Magazine, Quadro Magazine, and Tender Photo.
Far from the Eyes, Close to the Heart
I was a three-month-old baby when I lost my mother, a woman of Rwandan descent. I never had the chance to know her personally, but her memory lives on through a family photo album passed down from my grandmother. Growing up without her was a painful journey, marked by years of grief. It wasn’t until All Saints’ Day in 2023, when my father first took me to her grave, that I began the process of healing. This pivotal moment helped me confront my long-held sorrow. Inspired by Mame-Diarra Niang’s Léthé series on memory and forgetting, I reinterpreted my mother’s archived photographs. By scanning and blurring them, these portraits now stand as an abstract testament to her dual existence: both physically absent yet eternally present in my heart. This cathartic series, “Far from the Eyes, Close to the Heart,” reflects my healing journey and honors my mother’s memory through photography.
Far from the Eyes, Close to the Heart
I was a three-month-old baby when I lost my mother, a woman of Rwandan descent. I never had the chance to know her personally, but her memory lives on through a family photo album passed down from my grandmother. Growing up without her was a painful journey, marked by years of grief. It wasn’t until All Saints’ Day in 2023, when my father first took me to her grave, that I began the process of healing. This pivotal moment helped me confront my long-held sorrow. Inspired by Mame-Diarra Niang’s Léthé series on memory and forgetting, I reinterpreted my mother’s archived photographs. By scanning and blurring them, these portraits now stand as an abstract testament to her dual existence: both physically absent yet eternally present in my heart. This cathartic series, “Far from the Eyes, Close to the Heart,” reflects my healing journey and honors my mother’s memory through photography.
Josue Kakou
Côte d'Ivoire
Josue Kakou
Côte d'Ivoire
Josue Kakou, a.k.a. Youch is a photographer and graphic designer. A physicist by training, he is very passionate about photography, communication, and commercial advertising. Through his lenses and expertise in graphic design, he creates impactful visuals that captivate and convey strong messages.
Convinced that everyone has a unique touch to bring, he expresses his both behind the camera and in front of it, as a model. His approach blends creativity, attention to detail, and visual storytelling to bring striking images to life.
William Wadé Harris: First Echoes of Christianity in Côte d'Ivoire
William Wadé Harris, born around 1860 in Liberia, was a Grebo evangelist. In 1913, after experiencing a vision, he began preaching in Côte d’Ivoire, where he quickly attracted many followers. His message combined Christianity with elements of local culture, which allowed him to reach a wide audience. However, his ministry was not without challenges. Harris was arrested and imprisoned several times due to his religious activities, which were often misunderstood by colonial authorities and some local communities. Despite these obstacles, he continued to preach and went on to establish the Harrist Church, a Christian denomination that blends Christian faith with elements of African traditions. Today, the Harrist Church remains active in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin, and Ghana.
William Wadé Harris: First Echoes of Christianity in Côte d'Ivoire
William Wadé Harris, born around 1860 in Liberia, was a Grebo evangelist. In 1913, after experiencing a vision, he began preaching in Côte d’Ivoire, where he quickly attracted many followers. His message combined Christianity with elements of local culture, which allowed him to reach a wide audience. However, his ministry was not without challenges. Harris was arrested and imprisoned several times due to his religious activities, which were often misunderstood by colonial authorities and some local communities. Despite these obstacles, he continued to preach and went on to establish the Harrist Church, a Christian denomination that blends Christian faith with elements of African traditions. Today, the Harrist Church remains active in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin, and Ghana.
Kevin Kabambi
DRC
Kevin Kabambi
DRC
Kabambi Kevin (born in 1999 in Lubumbashi, DR Congo) lives and works in Lubumbashi. Kabambi is a visual artist and photographer. His artistic journey began in 2018 when he took part in a photography workshop at the Beaux-Arts of Lubumbashi. During the 2017 and 2019 editions of the Lubumbashi Biennale, Kabambi had the opportunity to meet several artists and curators, including Ibrahim Mahama, Leonard Pongo, Lucrezia Cippitelli, and Paula Nascimento. These enriching exchanges gave him a deeper understanding of the art scene and strengthened his ambition to use photography as a means of expression.
As his practice evolved, Kabambi participated in various workshops, some of which focused on the use of archival images. These workshops transformed his perception of archives, inspiring in him a profound desire to integrate them into his artistic work. Kevin Kabambi explores themes such as the transformation of space and identity. Through his work, he examines the multiple facets of historical heritage, blending archival imagery with contemporary photography. This approach allows him to highlight the lasting traces left by colonialism on Congolese society, identity, and beliefs.
For Kabambi, photography is more than just an art form: it is a powerful tool for documenting, analyzing, and preserving Memory. Archival images in his work become tangible evidence, bearing forgotten stories and histories. Through his creations that merge archives and contemporary photography, Kevin Kabambi asserts his role as a committed artist, exploring the identity, historical, and cultural issues of his country.
His work has been exhibited at the Lubumbashi Biennale, the African Photography Encounters (Bamako, Mali), the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair (Morocco), the Bucaramanga Biennale (Colombia), the Photo InCorpus Festival (France), the Off of the Dakar Biennale, and Arles Contemporain (France).
Transformation
The "Transformation" project revolves around the exploration of identity through the effects of colonization. Rather than treating this period as a simple cultural exchange, it highlights the imposition of a foreign culture that disrupted and erased the deep roots of the colonized peoples. Drawing on archival images, the project reveals not only Western and Asian domination but also the violence inflicted on the colonized communities, symbolized by visual testimonies from that time. This work also resonates with contemporary photographs of today's youth, who carry a new energy. These young people embody a silent resistance, reaffirming and enriching their culture in response to the assaults of history. The interface between archival images and those of today's youth opens a dialogue between the past and the present, symbolizing an act of reappropriation and resilience. It is a process of identity reconstruction, a visual bridge that testifies to the continuity of a living culture despite the hardship
Transformation
The "Transformation" project revolves around the exploration of identity through the effects of colonization. Rather than treating this period as a simple cultural exchange, it highlights the imposition of a foreign culture that disrupted and erased the deep roots of the colonized peoples. Drawing on archival images, the project reveals not only Western and Asian domination but also the violence inflicted on the colonized communities, symbolized by visual testimonies from that time. This work also resonates with contemporary photographs of today's youth, who carry a new energy. These young people embody a silent resistance, reaffirming and enriching their culture in response to the assaults of history. The interface between archival images and those of today's youth opens a dialogue between the past and the present, symbolizing an act of reappropriation and resilience. It is a process of identity reconstruction, a visual bridge that testifies to the continuity of a living culture despite the hardship
Kianoush Saadati
Iran
Kianoush Saadati
Iran
Kianoush Saadati is an Iranian visual storyteller whose work delves into the intricate relationships between environmental degradation, social justice, and human resilience. Growing up in northern Iran, he developed a profound connection to the land, shaping his perspective on the pressing issues facing communities on the frontlines of climate change. His work explores the intersection of ecological crises, cultural heritage, and human adaptation, shedding light on the unseen consequences of environmental destruction. Through a blend of intimate storytelling and documentary precision, Kianoush captures the fragility of landscapes, the displacement of people, and the urgent need for environmental consciousness. His photography serves as both a visual archive and a call to action, challenging perceptions and advocating for sustainable change.
Silent Wings
In the historical stories of my country, Iran, owls were symbols of wisdom and the intellectual minds among animals. However, with the passage of time and cultural and religious changes, along with the spread of superstitions, the owl suddenly gained a reputation as an ominous bird. People in some northern regions of Iran believe that owls are associated with spirits and jinn. If an owl perches on the roof of a house and its call is heard, they consider it a sign of impending death for one of the household members. In reality, many owls are not seen by people; people often observe owls that are interested in living in human structures. Owls have always evoked conflicting emotions in humans, attracting both love and fear, hatred and admiration. Some view the owl as intelligent, while others see it as foolish. This contradiction still exists today, with some people working to eradicate owls, while others strive to ensure their survival. Mandana is an Iranian woman who lives in northern Iran. Together with her friends, she personally finances the treatment and release of owls and birds of prey that get caught by humans and are subjected to abuse. They rehabilitate these birds and return them to nature. However, some birds that suffer from permanent injuries and cannot be released back into the wild are cared for throughout their lives. She says, "Birds are more beautiful in the sky, and with each one I release into nature, I feel as though I have regained my own freedom."
Silent Wings
In the historical stories of my country, Iran, owls were symbols of wisdom and the intellectual minds among animals. However, with the passage of time and cultural and religious changes, along with the spread of superstitions, the owl suddenly gained a reputation as an ominous bird. People in some northern regions of Iran believe that owls are associated with spirits and jinn. If an owl perches on the roof of a house and its call is heard, they consider it a sign of impending death for one of the household members. In reality, many owls are not seen by people; people often observe owls that are interested in living in human structures. Owls have always evoked conflicting emotions in humans, attracting both love and fear, hatred and admiration. Some view the owl as intelligent, while others see it as foolish. This contradiction still exists today, with some people working to eradicate owls, while others strive to ensure their survival. Mandana is an Iranian woman who lives in northern Iran. Together with her friends, she personally finances the treatment and release of owls and birds of prey that get caught by humans and are subjected to abuse. They rehabilitate these birds and return them to nature. However, some birds that suffer from permanent injuries and cannot be released back into the wild are cared for throughout their lives. She says, "Birds are more beautiful in the sky, and with each one I release into nature, I feel as though I have regained my own freedom."
Khaliyesa Barbara Minishi
Kenya
Khaliyesa Barbara Minishi began her career in 2003 in Fashion & Editorial photography and expanded her practice into the realms of film production design, and experimental sound. She won an Africa Movie Award for Art Direction in a Kenyan film, Nairobi Half Life. In 2016, she initiated a radical personal inner change that evolved into a post- documentary, fine art multimedia project, The 13th Path, an ecological shapeshifting of (un)/(re)learning & re-weaving the invisible inherited narratives of her matrilineal lineage, healing the inner child and reconnecting to the cyclic wisdom of nature. Because of the 13th Path, dormant new mythologies and understandings were unearthed and continue to reflect in her current projects and practice. In 2022 she wrote and directed her first immersive 360 immersive short film and was also the Middle East and Africa regional winner of the inaugural Fujifilm GFX Global Challenge for “Utawala”, a portrait project on women creating legacies. Her fiction directorial short film debut, “Inheritance”, about a young woman reclaiming her voice had its Kenyan premiere in 2024 and recently won Best Foreign Film at the Lois Weber Film Festival in March 2025. She has themed 2025 onwards as "Enchantment", a multi disciplinary, 13 chapter mythopoetic practice centred on connection, illumination and transformation. Inspired from the catalysed wisdom and knowledge from The 13th Path and the philosophy of the essays; Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power by Audre Lorde and The Laugh of the Medusa by Helene Cixous, Enchantment is an eight (8) year restorative process rooted in reclaiming exiled parts of self, imagination activism and eco- spirituality epistemologies.
Katikati Ya Daraja (“In The Middle Of The Bridge”)
The collection showcases images connecting the end of The 13th Path and the beginning of Enchantment. Katikati ya Daraja, meaning ‘In the middle of the bridge’ is the experience of navigating the landscape of shadows and exile where you can no longer fit in the past and the present doesn’t recognise you. Katikati is both strategy and medicine of survival, reinvention and rebirth into new possibilities.
Katikati Ya Daraja (“In The Middle Of The Bridge”)
The collection showcases images connecting the end of The 13th Path and the beginning of Enchantment. Katikati ya Daraja, meaning ‘In the middle of the bridge’ is the experience of navigating the landscape of shadows and exile where you can no longer fit in the past and the present doesn’t recognise you. Katikati is both strategy and medicine of survival, reinvention and rebirth into new possibilities.
Konkobo Jean Luc
Côte d’Ivoire
Konkobo Jean Luc
Côte d’Ivoire
Born on August 28, 2002, in Abidjan, Perfect Black, whose real name is KONKOBO Jean Luc, is an Ivorian artist of Burkinabè origin. Navigating between these two worlds, he was early on exposed to questions of difference, identity, and culture. This early awareness of such issues naturally drew him toward artistic pursuits. A multidisciplinary creator, Perfect Black is passionate about exploring a wide range of artistic expressions.
Having studied architecture and worked as a model, he officially embarked on his photography journey in 2022 with his debut series titled Transe. Perfect Black’s work is often surrealist. Through his collages and photomontages, he communicates his admiration for the aesthetic richness of African traditions, while also expressing his inner anxieties and reflections on the evolution of contemporary societies across the continent.
He was awarded the BJKD Arts Prize before participating in Africa Foto Fair 2023, where his piece “Trouble" was the headline work. That same year, he collaborated with Puma France for the launch of their new sneakers, created to celebrate the Total Energies AFCON 2023. In February 2025, his series Bad Boy Love Story was selected for publication in PhotoVogue, a significant recognition in the world of contemporary photography.
MELANIN
In the raw brilliance of primary colors, Black skin stands out: powerful, unyielding. Against these red, blue, and yellow walls, the twins rise like living sculptures, their bodies absorbing and reflecting light in equal measure. They are not merely subjects, they are a statement, a presence that cannot be ignored or faded into the background. What place does Black skin hold in everyday space? In a society where “neutrality” is often dictated by standards that exclude it, where fashion, advertising, and even artificial lighting are not designed with it in mind, Black skin resists. It asserts its own visual language, forcing a rethinking of contrast, of visibility, of aesthetic norms. If black has long been perceived as a shadow in the collective imagination, here it becomes brilliance. It converses with the vibrant walls, creating striking depth, an undeniable presence. In an age of filters and homogenized beauty standards, where film sets still struggle to capture the richness of dark skin, MELANIN reminds us that light has never been neutral. It has long favored certain skins while overlooking others. But here, Black skin claims its space without compromise. It does not seek to adapt, the environment must learn to recognize it. Smooth and deep, it is a manifesto in itself, both an aesthetic and political assertion. On the street, at work, on screen, its presence is an act of resistance. Are the twins a repetition or a reflection? A duality or a declaration? The image plays with this tension between blending in and standing apart, between the individual and the collective. In a world that tends to erase, to soften, MELANIN is a reminder that Black skin does not need permission to exist. It is here. And it takes up space.
MELANIN
In the raw brilliance of primary colors, Black skin stands out: powerful, unyielding. Against these red, blue, and yellow walls, the twins rise like living sculptures, their bodies absorbing and reflecting light in equal measure. They are not merely subjects, they are a statement, a presence that cannot be ignored or faded into the background. What place does Black skin hold in everyday space? In a society where “neutrality” is often dictated by standards that exclude it, where fashion, advertising, and even artificial lighting are not designed with it in mind, Black skin resists. It asserts its own visual language, forcing a rethinking of contrast, of visibility, of aesthetic norms. If black has long been perceived as a shadow in the collective imagination, here it becomes brilliance. It converses with the vibrant walls, creating striking depth, an undeniable presence. In an age of filters and homogenized beauty standards, where film sets still struggle to capture the richness of dark skin, MELANIN reminds us that light has never been neutral. It has long favored certain skins while overlooking others. But here, Black skin claims its space without compromise. It does not seek to adapt, the environment must learn to recognize it. Smooth and deep, it is a manifesto in itself, both an aesthetic and political assertion. On the street, at work, on screen, its presence is an act of resistance. Are the twins a repetition or a reflection? A duality or a declaration? The image plays with this tension between blending in and standing apart, between the individual and the collective. In a world that tends to erase, to soften, MELANIN is a reminder that Black skin does not need permission to exist. It is here. And it takes up space.
Kossua Mariette Kouame
Côte d'Ivoire
Kossua Mariette Kouame
Côte d'Ivoire
Kossua Mariette Kouame is a multidisciplinary artist working with photography, video production,
writing and music. Born on July 4, 1999 in Adjamé, Abidjan, art has revealed itself to her since the end of high school. Since then, she has not stopped. She was the winner of the BJKD Arts Prize 2024, a prize rewarding Ivorian visual artists. It was awarded by the BJKD Foundation in partnership with the “Bureau du Québec” in Abidjan and the Afro-Canadian Museum (Afro Museum) in Montreal. She was also featured in the book “Abidjan, Nid d’Artistes”. A book highlighting the city of Abidjan through the eyes of its artists. She appeared alongside Aboudia, Aïcha Koné, Bailly Spinto etc. This edition came after those of Casablanca and Dakar. Since 2022 she has managed “La Nich”, the first and only Ivorian media dedicated 100% to the promotion of art, where she combines her artistic vision with her commitment to promoting the cultural narrative of her community. She recently exhibited at the French Institute of Côte d'Ivoire and the Adama Toungara Museum of Contemporary Cultures, on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the international photography festival Africa Foto Fair.
Julianna
This series tells the story of Julianna, a 22-year-old woman who is making her mark in men's hairdressing, a very unusual case in Côte d'Ivoire. Faced with stereotypes and prejudices, she perseveres with determination in her journey, remaining true to her personal aspirations. After interrupting her studies in the ninth grade, following two failures in the final exam, Julianna turned to hairdressing, which gave her life another meaning. Through her work, she not only ensures her financial independence, but also the support of her family. She lives in Abobo, with her father, brother and aunt, having lost her mother five years ago, an event that deeply marked her journey and forged her resilience.
Julianna
This series tells the story of Julianna, a 22-year-old woman who is making her mark in men's hairdressing, a very unusual case in Côte d'Ivoire. Faced with stereotypes and prejudices, she perseveres with determination in her journey, remaining true to her personal aspirations. After interrupting her studies in the ninth grade, following two failures in the final exam, Julianna turned to hairdressing, which gave her life another meaning. Through her work, she not only ensures her financial independence, but also the support of her family. She lives in Abobo, with her father, brother and aunt, having lost her mother five years ago, an event that deeply marked her journey and forged her resilience.
Kouame Karen
Côte d’Ivoire
Kouame Karen
Côte d’Ivoire
Kouamé Karen is an Ivorian photographer born in Abidjan, currently based in Toulouse. After an academic journey across Ivory Coast, Morocco, and France, studying economics and digital marketing, she chose in 2023 to fully dedicate herself to photography by joining ETPA, a photography school in France. Introduced to image-making by her father, Karen developed an early sensitivity for visual storytelling. In 2019, following a personal upheaval, she discovered the healing power of self-portraiture. Photography became a space for reconnection and a deeper exploration of her roots. Her work is grounded in her heritage, delving into themes of legacy, cultural identity, and resilience within African traditions. Through an honest and intentional photographic lens, she seeks to inspire, reveal, and honor the multifaceted beauty of Afro-diasporic identities. Karen’s practice moves fluidly between fine art, portrait, fashion, and commissioned projects. She creates emotionally resonant images that bridge tradition and modernity, while exploring memory, transmission, and cultural continuity.
Teintes D'identité (Identity Shades)
This vision is embodied in her current portrait project rooted in her deep connection to Côte d’Ivoire. In a country rich with diversity, where over sixty ethnic groups coexist, identity is woven through a mosaic of languages, customs, and cultural symbols. Inspired by this unique wealth, Karen sets out to capture the spirit of each Ivorian community through a series of singular portraits. These photographs go beyond mere documentation, they are original “identity portraits” that elevate the ordinary into works of art. The project is a tribute to cultural preservation in a fast-evolving world, aiming to spotlight and safeguard Ivorian heritage. Each portrait invites viewers to rediscover the cultural distinctiveness shaping the nation’s identity and celebrates the powerful beauty of human diversity.
Teintes D'identité (Identity Shades)
This vision is embodied in her current portrait project rooted in her deep connection to Côte d’Ivoire. In a country rich with diversity, where over sixty ethnic groups coexist, identity is woven through a mosaic of languages, customs, and cultural symbols. Inspired by this unique wealth, Karen sets out to capture the spirit of each Ivorian community through a series of singular portraits. These photographs go beyond mere documentation, they are original “identity portraits” that elevate the ordinary into works of art. The project is a tribute to cultural preservation in a fast-evolving world, aiming to spotlight and safeguard Ivorian heritage. Each portrait invites viewers to rediscover the cultural distinctiveness shaping the nation’s identity and celebrates the powerful beauty of human diversity.
Kwete Bope Hardy
DRC
Kwete Bope Hardy
DRC
Hardy KWETE BOPE was born on January 9 and currently lives and works in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A freelance photojournalist with Agence France Presse (AFP) and Getty Images, he has exhibited his work at the Belgian Embassy and the French Institute as part of Francophonie-related events. Holder of a degree in Mathematical Physics, he is passionate about art in general and photography in particular. He chose to continue his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa, in the Photography Department. Hardy uses photography as a way to capture reality from a different perspective and to convey a personal interpretation of it. He is particularly interested in social and cultural photography. Hardy Kwete Bope is a committed artist who uses his art to convey messages and provoke reactions in his audience.
“IDENTITÉ KITENDI"
“IDENTITÉ KITENDI” is an ongoing photographic project that highlights la sape, an iconic cultural phenomenon from Congo that, over generations, has become a true identity marker for the Congolese people. La sape is not merely a fashion style; it embodies a way of life, a means of presenting oneself to the world with pride and elegance. Through this project, the aim is to capture this fascinating universe where colors and outfits transcend the ordinary to become symbols of resistance and individual empowerment. The central idea of this project is to deconstruct the traditional image of the individual within a familiar environment, in order to create a visual space that goes beyond the limits of the everyday. By reintegrating color with renewed intensity, I seek to transform the environment into a richer, more vibrant, and symbolically powerful space. The halo that hovers above the sapeur’s head is a metaphor for the individual’s elevation, a quasi-sacred symbol that emphasizes how, through fashion and attitude, sapeurs transcend social norms to reach a particular, almost divine status. By using inverted faces, where facial features are reversed (white becomes black and vice versa), I aim to create a distance between the individual and their physical appearance. This challenges the notion of identity, highlighting how it is often shaped more by external elements such as clothing than by physical traits. La sape thus becomes a form of personal expression, where social recognition and visual identity take precedence over physical characteristics. This project therefore illustrates how clothing and attitude lie at the heart of identity construction in the Congolese context.
“IDENTITÉ KITENDI"
“IDENTITÉ KITENDI” is an ongoing photographic project that highlights la sape, an iconic cultural phenomenon from Congo that, over generations, has become a true identity marker for the Congolese people. La sape is not merely a fashion style; it embodies a way of life, a means of presenting oneself to the world with pride and elegance. Through this project, the aim is to capture this fascinating universe where colors and outfits transcend the ordinary to become symbols of resistance and individual empowerment. The central idea of this project is to deconstruct the traditional image of the individual within a familiar environment, in order to create a visual space that goes beyond the limits of the everyday. By reintegrating color with renewed intensity, I seek to transform the environment into a richer, more vibrant, and symbolically powerful space. The halo that hovers above the sapeur’s head is a metaphor for the individual’s elevation, a quasi-sacred symbol that emphasizes how, through fashion and attitude, sapeurs transcend social norms to reach a particular, almost divine status. By using inverted faces, where facial features are reversed (white becomes black and vice versa), I aim to create a distance between the individual and their physical appearance. This challenges the notion of identity, highlighting how it is often shaped more by external elements such as clothing than by physical traits. La sape thus becomes a form of personal expression, where social recognition and visual identity take precedence over physical characteristics. This project therefore illustrates how clothing and attitude lie at the heart of identity construction in the Congolese context.
Lucas Foglia
USA
Lucas Foglia
USA
Lucas Foglia, a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow, makes photographic prints that are collected and exhibited internationally at institutions including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Victoria Albert Museum. His sixth book, Constant Bloom, was recently published by Nazraeli Press, to critical acclaim.
Constant Bloom
Constant Bloom follows Painted Lady butterflies on the longest butterfly migration ever discovered, spanning Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Lucas Foglia’s photographs trace both the path of the butterflies and the people they encounter, offering an allegory for our delicate, interconnected, and resilient world.
Constant Bloom
Constant Bloom follows Painted Lady butterflies on the longest butterfly migration ever discovered, spanning Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Lucas Foglia’s photographs trace both the path of the butterflies and the people they encounter, offering an allegory for our delicate, interconnected, and resilient world.
Mahad Egal
Somaliland
Mahad Egal
Somaliland
Mahad Egal is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. He's a member of Somali storytellers. His work focuses on transformative moments, focusing on the subtle shifts that shape our lives. Exploring themes of identity, culture, and history, he delves into the narratives that define us. His work has been featured in exhibitions, including Oodi Ab Ka Dhow, 2024 fankeenna.
Democracy in Focus: Somaliland 2024
In November, Somaliland held presidential and party elections, widely praised by local and international observers for being free, fair, and transparent. While not internationally recognized, these elections are seen as a model of democracy in the Horn of Africa and beyond. The opposition candidate won by a significant margin following a dynamic and competitive campaign. Democracy in Focus: Somaliland 2024 is a project that goes beyond the traditional focus on ballots and candidates to explore how elections empower citizens through active participation. Over 70% of the population is under 30, and women make up half of the population, demonstrating the youth-driven and inclusive nature of the electoral process. The photographs in this project were taken in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, during the campaign period and on election day. They capture the vibrant public spaces where political parties gathered large crowds, reflecting the energy and enthusiasm of the electoral process. The images document moments of political action and public engagement, providing a visual narrative of the democratic exercise. This project has been a personal exploration of democracy in action. As a young photographer, I was particularly inspired by the visibility and involvement of young people throughout the election process, showcasing the dynamic and the evolving nature of democracy in Somaliland.
Democracy in Focus: Somaliland 2024
In November, Somaliland held presidential and party elections, widely praised by local and international observers for being free, fair, and transparent. While not internationally recognized, these elections are seen as a model of democracy in the Horn of Africa and beyond. The opposition candidate won by a significant margin following a dynamic and competitive campaign. Democracy in Focus: Somaliland 2024 is a project that goes beyond the traditional focus on ballots and candidates to explore how elections empower citizens through active participation. Over 70% of the population is under 30, and women make up half of the population, demonstrating the youth-driven and inclusive nature of the electoral process. The photographs in this project were taken in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, during the campaign period and on election day. They capture the vibrant public spaces where political parties gathered large crowds, reflecting the energy and enthusiasm of the electoral process. The images document moments of political action and public engagement, providing a visual narrative of the democratic exercise. This project has been a personal exploration of democracy in action. As a young photographer, I was particularly inspired by the visibility and involvement of young people throughout the election process, showcasing the dynamic and the evolving nature of democracy in Somaliland.
Mahad Mohamed Mohamud
Somalia
Mahad Mohamed Mohamud
Somalia
Mahad Mohamed is a photographer, budding curator and archivist based in Mogadishu. His artistic work focuses on the intersections of architecture, heritage, memory, space, and people. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant history and evolving narratives of his city, Mahad’s photography blends elements of urban storytelling. Through his lens, he captures the resilience and beauty of everyday life, fostering a deeper understanding of Mogadishu’s cultural and historical identity. Mahad’s work was exhibited at the GoDown Arts Centre, Nairobi, the Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi, the CittaDelArte, Biella, Italy, the Palazzo Merulana, Rome and the National Museum of Somalia, Mogadishu, among other spaces.
City as an Archive : Mogadishu
My work explores Mogadishu as more than a city, it is a living archive, a palimpsest of histories, cultures, and memories layered within its urban fabric. In Mogadishu: City as an Archive, I document the architectural remnants, ruins, and everyday life that collectively hold the weight of Somalia’s turbulent past and its ongoing resilience. Through photography and storytelling, I aim to trace the city’s evolution, from its origins as a historic trading hub to the scars left by civil war and the quiet strength of reconstruction. Each frame becomes a visual document, capturing not only physical structures but also the intangible heritage that survives in oral traditions, daily rituals, and communal spaces. This project is rooted in the belief that memory lives not just in archives or books, but in ruins, in gestures, in street corners. Mogadishu’s ruins are not merely symbols of loss, they are testaments to endurance, markers of identity, and catalysts for imagining a future. My work seeks to honor that complexity, to reclaim forgotten narratives, and to contribute to a cultural memory that belongs to us all.
City as an Archive : Mogadishu
My work explores Mogadishu as more than a city, it is a living archive, a palimpsest of histories, cultures, and memories layered within its urban fabric. In Mogadishu: City as an Archive, I document the architectural remnants, ruins, and everyday life that collectively hold the weight of Somalia’s turbulent past and its ongoing resilience. Through photography and storytelling, I aim to trace the city’s evolution, from its origins as a historic trading hub to the scars left by civil war and the quiet strength of reconstruction. Each frame becomes a visual document, capturing not only physical structures but also the intangible heritage that survives in oral traditions, daily rituals, and communal spaces. This project is rooted in the belief that memory lives not just in archives or books, but in ruins, in gestures, in street corners. Mogadishu’s ruins are not merely symbols of loss, they are testaments to endurance, markers of identity, and catalysts for imagining a future. My work seeks to honor that complexity, to reclaim forgotten narratives, and to contribute to a cultural memory that belongs to us all.
Medi Bundjoko
DRC
Medi Bundjoko
DRC
Born on April 22, Bundjoko Medi is a third-year student in the photography program at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa. She works and resides in Kinshasa. From the beginning of her career, she seeks to highlight the social situations of the people of Kinshasa. Her work highlights daily life and their stories.
Steel Mind
This work aims to highlight the social conditions of people living with disabilities often ignored, marginalized. They are often sidelined because of their physical and material situation, but their spirit and intelligence must not not be forgotten. In this work she shows that mental strength surpasses the body and that the soul can shine, even in the face of inevitable difficulties. With passion and determination, she strives to give voice to those who are often invisible.
Steel Mind
This work aims to highlight the social conditions of people living with disabilities often ignored, marginalized. They are often sidelined because of their physical and material situation, but their spirit and intelligence must not not be forgotten. In this work she shows that mental strength surpasses the body and that the soul can shine, even in the face of inevitable difficulties. With passion and determination, she strives to give voice to those who are often invisible.
Merzagui Ahmed
Algeria
Merzagui Ahmed
Algeria
Merzagui Ahmed (b. 1993, Algeria) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans writing, theater, music, and photography. Initially trained in medicine (2011–2018), he began exploring analog photography in 2015, with his first group exhibition in 2017. His work has since evolved into a research-driven exploration of identity, memory, and power, integrating philosophy, psychology, and sociology with visual storytelling.
Merzagui works across documentary and contemporary forms, often combining photography with installation, audiovisual media, and performance. His projects are informed by international residencies and grants, including Villa Salammbô (Tunisia), ARTIFARITI (Western Sahara), Cité Internationale des Arts (France), and the Arab Documentary Photography Program (AFAC/Magnum/Prince Claus Fund).
His work has been exhibited in Narratives from Algeria, Rhymes from Untold Realms (Switzerland), Citizen and La Grille (Algeria), and Regards Croisés (France). He has also curated exhibitions such as Doors of Tlemcen and led workshops for women photographers.
Currently supported by the Taethir Project and the Cultural Resource Production Award, Merzagui is developing Your Life is a Career – The Boutefteens, a multidisciplinary project examining collective history, political legacy, and youth identity in post-Bouteflika Algeria.
From VJing for cultural institutions to directing music videos, his collaborations expand his critical approach to social structures. Merzagui often describes his worldview as that of a constantly shifting scene, one we must capture, narrate, or reflect upon, each from our own necessarily subjective, yet uniquely valid, perspective.
"Your Life Is A Career - The Boutefteens"
As a child of Algeria’s Dark Decade, my identity was forged by civil war, what we call the "Real" Generation. My siblings, born in 2002 under Bouteflika’s presidency, belong to "The Boutefteens": a generation raised in peace yet shaped by political stasis. Their lives span exactly his 20-year rule, a lifetime knowing only one political reality. This project, sparked by the 2019 Hirak revolution, explores the chasm between our generations. Through photography, interviews, and archival work, I document how those who never knew war construct identity versus those who inherited its scars. The Boutefteens’ habits, aspirations, and political consciousness reveal a society bifurcated not by age, but by lived history. The Hirak protests laid bare this divide. While my generation marched with memories of violence, theirs mobilized with pent-up frustration at a system they’d only ever known. Their entire worldview formed during Bouteflika’s tenure, a singular political horizon now collapsed. I investigate how national identity fractures when collective memory isn’t shared. What does "Algeria" mean to those whose childhoods weren’t punctuated by gunfire? How does a generation raised in "peace" perceive freedom when their "normal" was another’s oppression? Since 2019, I’ve immersed myself in their spaces: universities, protests, and private realms where generational differences surface in slang, fashion, and digital activism. The project juxtaposes their optimism with our guarded hope, their digital-native dissent with our physical resistance. Ultimately, this is a mirror held to Algeria’s future, one where these two generations must reconcile divergent traumas to build a shared country. The Boutefteens’ lives, bookended by Bouteflika’s career, now face the blank page of history. What they write there will define us all.
"Your Life Is A Career - The Boutefteens"
As a child of Algeria’s Dark Decade, my identity was forged by civil war, what we call the "Real" Generation. My siblings, born in 2002 under Bouteflika’s presidency, belong to "The Boutefteens": a generation raised in peace yet shaped by political stasis. Their lives span exactly his 20-year rule, a lifetime knowing only one political reality. This project, sparked by the 2019 Hirak revolution, explores the chasm between our generations. Through photography, interviews, and archival work, I document how those who never knew war construct identity versus those who inherited its scars. The Boutefteens’ habits, aspirations, and political consciousness reveal a society bifurcated not by age, but by lived history. The Hirak protests laid bare this divide. While my generation marched with memories of violence, theirs mobilized with pent-up frustration at a system they’d only ever known. Their entire worldview formed during Bouteflika’s tenure, a singular political horizon now collapsed. I investigate how national identity fractures when collective memory isn’t shared. What does "Algeria" mean to those whose childhoods weren’t punctuated by gunfire? How does a generation raised in "peace" perceive freedom when their "normal" was another’s oppression? Since 2019, I’ve immersed myself in their spaces: universities, protests, and private realms where generational differences surface in slang, fashion, and digital activism. The project juxtaposes their optimism with our guarded hope, their digital-native dissent with our physical resistance. Ultimately, this is a mirror held to Algeria’s future, one where these two generations must reconcile divergent traumas to build a shared country. The Boutefteens’ lives, bookended by Bouteflika’s career, now face the blank page of history. What they write there will define us all.
Mohamed Anwar
Egypt
Mohamed Anwar
Egypt
Mohamed Anwar is an Egyptian visual storyteller and performer. He was born in Mansoura in 1992. After graduating from the faculty of engineering, he decided to pursue his passion for visual arts.
In 2017 he started photography and it has since become his way of expressing himself and sharing his thoughts, fears and dreams. Believing that photos preserve our human experience, his passion for storytelling and visual arts drove him to experiment with different mediums and techniques allowing him to tell more stories in more creative and efficient ways.
His work is currently focused on how cities can affect people’s behaviors in every aspect of their daily life, from the way they talk to the way they walk. He’s currently part of Academy of Mediterranean Talents and recently he was part of the Cairo Calling program. As he graduated from Danish school for media and photojournalism (DMJX) program in Cairo supported by DEDI. His work has been exhibited in La Friche de Belle de Mai in Marseille, at the French Institute Cairo, Cité des Arts Paris, the Goethe Institute Alexandria, In-short Film Festival in Lagos, the Goethe Institute Cairo, Bibliotheca Alexandria, Cairo Photo Week, Cairographie exhibition, Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo and the Cairo Mobile Film Festival.
“Around our personal stories”(Marseille)
What becomes of our personal and collective stories when our cities change? Do our personal memories still hold the same value when the cities we once knew disappear? “Around Our Personal Stories” is a project that reflects on this powerful, intimate, yet fragile relationship between our individual memories and our cities. It also questions how the transformations of our ever-changing cities will reshape our personal and collective narratives. “Around Our Personal Stories” is a long-term Mediterranean project: a photographic collage that offers an alternative visual representation of the future of our cities. Mediterranean cities are undergoing profound transformations: gentrification, commercialization, abrupt and unplanned changes. Most of these upheavals occur without consideration for the essence, identity, or heritage of these cities, making them strange and unrecognizable to their own inhabitants. When the cities we once knew change, our personal stories change as well; for our cities influence every aspect of our lives, from the way we walk to the way we speak, and even how we dream. Thus, as our cities transform, our personal memories gradually lose their value over time. This project began in 2022 in Alexandria (Egypt) and expanded in 2023 to Marseille (France). It is meant to continue and connect with other Mediterranean cities. Most of these cities face similar drastic transformations, occurring almost simultaneously, though at a pace unique to each.
“Around our personal stories”(Marseille)
What becomes of our personal and collective stories when our cities change? Do our personal memories still hold the same value when the cities we once knew disappear? “Around Our Personal Stories” is a project that reflects on this powerful, intimate, yet fragile relationship between our individual memories and our cities. It also questions how the transformations of our ever-changing cities will reshape our personal and collective narratives. “Around Our Personal Stories” is a long-term Mediterranean project: a photographic collage that offers an alternative visual representation of the future of our cities. Mediterranean cities are undergoing profound transformations: gentrification, commercialization, abrupt and unplanned changes. Most of these upheavals occur without consideration for the essence, identity, or heritage of these cities, making them strange and unrecognizable to their own inhabitants. When the cities we once knew change, our personal stories change as well; for our cities influence every aspect of our lives, from the way we walk to the way we speak, and even how we dream. Thus, as our cities transform, our personal memories gradually lose their value over time. This project began in 2022 in Alexandria (Egypt) and expanded in 2023 to Marseille (France). It is meant to continue and connect with other Mediterranean cities. Most of these cities face similar drastic transformations, occurring almost simultaneously, though at a pace unique to each.
Mosab Abushama
Sudan
Mosab Abushama
Sudan
Mosab Abushama is a Sudanese photographer, filmmaker, and visual storyteller whose work explores themes of cultural identity, conflict, and human resilience. He began his career documenting daily life and the harsh realities of war in Sudan using his phone camera. His project "Tadween" offers a personal account of life during conflict, highlighting how individuals adapt and coexist amid turmoil. He has received several accolades for his work, including support from the Arab Documentary Photography Program (ADPP), a collaboration between the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, the Prince Claus Fund, and the Magnum Foundation. In 2024, he was honored with the Prince Claus Fund's FELLOWS Award. Additionally, his photograph "Life Won’t Stop," won the Africa Singles category at the 2025 World Press Photo Contest.
Currently, Abushama is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Film/Video and Photographic Arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, further developing his skills as a filmmaker and photographer.
TADWEEN
“I never imagined that I would one day live the very stories I once only heard about my homeland, Sudan, experiencing every detail of war firsthand. I was among the few who had the chance to tell a part of our story, while many others remained unheard, some lost to oblivion, and others buried with those we lost.” The Arabic word "Tadween," which traditionally referred to recording news, opinions, and emotions through writing, photography, audio, or video, took on a darker meaning after the war erupted on April 15, 2023. In Sudan, "Tadween" has since become associated with artillery bombardment, as the relentless sounds of shelling have echoed for over a year. This word now painfully encapsulates the documentation of stories, diaries, and daily events unfolding in the lives of Sudanese citizens during this tumultuous time. As a Sudanese and a photographer, navigating this new reality presents profound challenges: What is life like amidst the war? How do people endure it, and how has the conflict reshaped their very existence? The present shapes our future, yet countless stories remain untold, unreachable in the face of ongoing danger.
TADWEEN
“I never imagined that I would one day live the very stories I once only heard about my homeland, Sudan, experiencing every detail of war firsthand. I was among the few who had the chance to tell a part of our story, while many others remained unheard, some lost to oblivion, and others buried with those we lost.” The Arabic word "Tadween," which traditionally referred to recording news, opinions, and emotions through writing, photography, audio, or video, took on a darker meaning after the war erupted on April 15, 2023. In Sudan, "Tadween" has since become associated with artillery bombardment, as the relentless sounds of shelling have echoed for over a year. This word now painfully encapsulates the documentation of stories, diaries, and daily events unfolding in the lives of Sudanese citizens during this tumultuous time. As a Sudanese and a photographer, navigating this new reality presents profound challenges: What is life like amidst the war? How do people endure it, and how has the conflict reshaped their very existence? The present shapes our future, yet countless stories remain untold, unreachable in the face of ongoing danger.
Muhammad Amdad Hossain
Bangladesh
Muhammad Amdad Hossain
Bangladesh
Muhammad Amdad Hossain (b. 1999) is a renowned visual artist and documentary photographer from Chittagong, Bangladesh. Celebrated for capturing fleeting, emotionally charged moments, Amdad’s work focuses on the lives of people affected by natural disasters, pollution, and poverty, particularly in Bangladesh’s most vulnerable communities. Using a powerful visual language, he documents the devastating impacts of catastrophic floods, displacement, and environmental degradation, while highlighting human resilience, dignity, and strength in adversity. His photography not only tells stories, it calls for awareness, empathy, and action.
Amdad has won over 170 international awards, including first-place prizes in major global photography competitions. His images have appeared in more than 150 international publications, including The Guardian, National Geographic, Forbes, The Times, BBC, CNN World, Yahoo News, France Info, L’OBS, Salon, UNESCO, South China Morning Post, Global Times, ZEIT Online, and PetaPixel. His work has been exhibited in over 30 countries, amplifying voices of the voiceless and shedding light on critical social and environmental issues.
He has served as a judge for competitions such as Wiki Loves Earth, MUSE Photography Awards, New York Photography Awards, and the Global Photo Award, and collaborates with agencies including Zuma Press (USA), NurPhoto (Italy), and Solent Photo Agency (UK). He has been exhibited in more than 30 countries and through these partnerships, his impactful storytelling reaches global audiences. Amdad’s commitment to photography as a tool for advocacy and empathy has already left a mark internationally, and his journey is just beginning.
FLOOD CRISIS
Bangladesh is devastated every year by disastrous floods caused by intense monsoon rainfall and water over low from upstream areas in northeast India. The natural disasters inundate as much as 30% of the nation, consuming homes, roads, schools, and crop Elds in relentless floodwaters. Both rural and urban life grinds to a halt. Sewer systems break down, power grids collapse, and millions of people are stranded without food, clean water, or electricity. The hardest affected are the poor, those who reside in low, flood-prone areas with no economic means to protect their livelihoods or lives. In districts such as Kurigram, Feni, and Chittagong, whole villages tend to be underwater, with families forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in overcrowded schools and public shelters. As drinking water becomes scarce, outbreaks of waterborne diseases are never far behind, adding to the already a dire crisis. This photo essay documents the catastrophic floods of 2022 to 2024, capturing not only the scale of destruction but also the incredible resilience and stoicism of the Bangladeshi people. With scenes of inundated houses and displaced families, temporary shelters and acts of basic dignity amidst catastrophe, these images are a visual record of a prolonged humanitarian emergency. With this piece, I try to speak on behalf of those most impacted and appeal for the world's attention and effective action. The floods are repetitive, but so are the people's hope, resilience, and strength in surviving them.
FLOOD CRISIS
Bangladesh is devastated every year by disastrous floods caused by intense monsoon rainfall and water over low from upstream areas in northeast India. The natural disasters inundate as much as 30% of the nation, consuming homes, roads, schools, and crop Elds in relentless floodwaters. Both rural and urban life grinds to a halt. Sewer systems break down, power grids collapse, and millions of people are stranded without food, clean water, or electricity. The hardest affected are the poor, those who reside in low, flood-prone areas with no economic means to protect their livelihoods or lives. In districts such as Kurigram, Feni, and Chittagong, whole villages tend to be underwater, with families forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in overcrowded schools and public shelters. As drinking water becomes scarce, outbreaks of waterborne diseases are never far behind, adding to the already a dire crisis. This photo essay documents the catastrophic floods of 2022 to 2024, capturing not only the scale of destruction but also the incredible resilience and stoicism of the Bangladeshi people. With scenes of inundated houses and displaced families, temporary shelters and acts of basic dignity amidst catastrophe, these images are a visual record of a prolonged humanitarian emergency. With this piece, I try to speak on behalf of those most impacted and appeal for the world's attention and effective action. The floods are repetitive, but so are the people's hope, resilience, and strength in surviving them.
Mustafa Saeed
Somaliland
Mustafa Saeed
Somaliland
Mustafa Saeed (b. 1989) is a Somali-born artist based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. His multidisciplinary practice spans photography, graphics, and sound, blending poetic symbolism with socio-political critique to address themes of war, conflict, and the environment. A prominent figure in contemporary Somali art, he founded Fankeenna, a youth-led art platform in Hargeisa that serves as a studio, gallery, and creative hub. He is also a contributor to Everyday Africa, a collective dedicated to portraying diverse daily experiences across the continent.
Mustafa has received major recognitions, including the 2022 ART WORKS Projects’ Emerging Lens Mentorship Program grant and a 2015 Arab Documentary Photography Program grant, supported by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Magnum Foundation, and Prince Claus Fund. His work has been exhibited internationally at Photoville Festival, New York (2024), AFRICA FOTO FAIR, Abidjan (2022 & 2024), and Photo Vogue Festival, Milan (2022). Past shows include UNSEEN Photo Fair (Amsterdam), Lumières d’Afriques (Paris), and Addis Foto Fest (Addis Ababa).
He has collaborated with leading media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian, bringing his striking visuals and narratives to a global audience. Through these exhibitions and collaborations, Mustafa continues to expand the boundaries of visual storytelling, offering profound explorations of the human condition within contexts of conflict and environmental change
Atelophobia
Atelophobia is a personal dive into my deepest fears, feeling stuck, not living up to what my family and society expect, and losing the freedom to be myself. Growing up in Somaliland, I’ve always felt torn between following my dreams and the weight of traditions and social norms that seem to hold me back. Self-censorship is something I live with daily, and with an uncertain future and elections coming up, I often wonder if I’ll ever feel free to share who I really am. I’m also scared of failing not just in my work but in the eyes of the people who matter to me. Sometimes I feel too unsure of myself to take bold steps forward, and imposter syndrome makes me doubt whether my voice or my experiences are good enough. But even with all this fear, there’s a part of me that still wants to break out of these expectations and figure out who I really am. The visuals in Atelophobia use black and white to show the push and pull of these feelings. The stark contrast reflects the struggle between wanting to be brave and the fear of what might happen if I take a leap into the unknown. It’s about the tension of trying to make choices when everything feels uncertain. The drawings capture the messiness of figuring things out, the weight of doubt, and the hope that comes from embracing my journey, even if it’s unfinished and imperfect.
Atelophobia
Atelophobia is a personal dive into my deepest fears, feeling stuck, not living up to what my family and society expect, and losing the freedom to be myself. Growing up in Somaliland, I’ve always felt torn between following my dreams and the weight of traditions and social norms that seem to hold me back. Self-censorship is something I live with daily, and with an uncertain future and elections coming up, I often wonder if I’ll ever feel free to share who I really am. I’m also scared of failing not just in my work but in the eyes of the people who matter to me. Sometimes I feel too unsure of myself to take bold steps forward, and imposter syndrome makes me doubt whether my voice or my experiences are good enough. But even with all this fear, there’s a part of me that still wants to break out of these expectations and figure out who I really am. The visuals in Atelophobia use black and white to show the push and pull of these feelings. The stark contrast reflects the struggle between wanting to be brave and the fear of what might happen if I take a leap into the unknown. It’s about the tension of trying to make choices when everything feels uncertain. The drawings capture the messiness of figuring things out, the weight of doubt, and the hope that comes from embracing my journey, even if it’s unfinished and imperfect.
N’cho Jean-Louis
Côte d’Ivoire
N’cho Jean-Louis
Côte d’Ivoire
Jean-Louis N’cho is a photographer from Côte d’Ivoire, living in France since February 2021. He began photography in 2016 to express emotions and find personal fulfillment. His work highlights the beauty of Africa, its diverse cultures, and abundant natural resources. He belongs to a collective of “IPhotographers,” artists who create with mobile phones. Initially, using his phone was a necessity, as DSLR cameras were too expensive. Over time, it became a creative choice, pushing him to explore the limits of mobile photography. He believes creativity is limitless and far more important than equipment. Understanding this freed him to focus on his vision rather than tools. Jean-Louis sees every opportunity as a chance to share his work and prove that great art can emerge even with limited resources. His creativity was recognized when he received the Galaxy Grant from Prazzle on February 24, 2024. His work has been exhibited at the AFRICA FOTO FAIR in Côte d’Ivoire during the 2nd edition (November–December 2023) and the 3rd edition in November 2024, where his artwork was chosen as the main visual of the festival under Aida Muluneh’s guidance. His photographs have been featured on The Guardian’s website among the top images from the Africa Foto Fair 2024. They also appeared on Photovogue.com as “photos of the day” on several occasions in 2024. Prazzle Inc showcased his work in articles in November 2023 and February 2024. His images have gained popularity on Instagram, reposted by major African art platforms like Okay Africa, Afrodysée, Osengwa, Raw Melanin, Afriquette, and The Bright Continent, expanding his reach in the artistic community.
MONDOUKOU
Mondoukou is the natural continuation of my previous series, Les Abidjanais. In my quest for renewal, I felt the irresistible call of my homeland, Côte d’Ivoire, and more specifically, Grand-Bassam. This city of history and art has captivated me since childhood. It was there that the idea took root: to seek out Mondoukou, a fishing village I had often heard about but never explored. Nestled near Grand-Bassam, Mondoukou is a hidden treasure, with golden beaches lined with coconut trees and waters that invite both contemplation and the discovery of a simple, authentic village life. From the moment I set foot in this peaceful haven, I felt the need to capture its soul. This gave birth to a series of spontaneous photographs, glimpses into the daily life of its inhabitants. Just like in Les Abidjanais, I reimagine the relationship with traditional masks, blending them seamlessly into everyday gestures. Here, the masks dance alongside life itself. To further root the project in African visual heritage, I incorporated Adinkra symbols, marks of wisdom and memory from the Akan people. These symbols go beyond decoration: Gye Nyame honors the supremacy of the invisible, while Sankofa calls us to return to our roots to draw valuable lessons. The Adinkra serve as bridges between past and present, connecting Mondoukou to generations of memory and spirituality. Through this project, I invite everyone to immerse themselves in these fragments of life, where culture flourishes in the quiet, unassuming beauty of an Ivorian village.
MONDOUKOU
Mondoukou is the natural continuation of my previous series, Les Abidjanais. In my quest for renewal, I felt the irresistible call of my homeland, Côte d’Ivoire, and more specifically, Grand-Bassam. This city of history and art has captivated me since childhood. It was there that the idea took root: to seek out Mondoukou, a fishing village I had often heard about but never explored. Nestled near Grand-Bassam, Mondoukou is a hidden treasure, with golden beaches lined with coconut trees and waters that invite both contemplation and the discovery of a simple, authentic village life. From the moment I set foot in this peaceful haven, I felt the need to capture its soul. This gave birth to a series of spontaneous photographs, glimpses into the daily life of its inhabitants. Just like in Les Abidjanais, I reimagine the relationship with traditional masks, blending them seamlessly into everyday gestures. Here, the masks dance alongside life itself. To further root the project in African visual heritage, I incorporated Adinkra symbols, marks of wisdom and memory from the Akan people. These symbols go beyond decoration: Gye Nyame honors the supremacy of the invisible, while Sankofa calls us to return to our roots to draw valuable lessons. The Adinkra serve as bridges between past and present, connecting Mondoukou to generations of memory and spirituality. Through this project, I invite everyone to immerse themselves in these fragments of life, where culture flourishes in the quiet, unassuming beauty of an Ivorian village.
Natalija Gormalova
Latvia
Natalija Gormalova
Latvia
Natalija Gormalova is a visual artist, documentary photographer, and filmmaker based in Accra, Ghana. Her work explores critical global issues, including women’s rights, environmental challenges, migration, memory, mental health, and identity. Through her lens, Natalija unveils the intricacies of our shared humanity, nurturing empathy, understanding, and dialogue across diverse cultures. Originally from Latvia, she moved to London at 17 to pursue art, studying at the London College of Communication and earning a Master’s in Photography from the Royal College of Art.
Since 2015, Natalija has created impactful work across Africa, shaped by her experiences in diverse cultures. In Accra, she is a member of Nuku Studio, a community fostering photographic practice and research. For nearly five years, she worked as a stringer and special assignments photographer for AFP and AP, contributing to visual stories published in The New York Times, National Geographic, The Guardian, and The British Journal of Photography.
In addition to photography, Natalija explores storytelling through film. Her debut short film, Spirits We Dance, portrays the lives of two disabled dancers in Accra, connecting their physical and spiritual worlds through movement. The film has won international acclaim, including Best Experimental Film at the Cannes Independent Film Festival and Best Director at the Montreal Independent Short Film Festival. Natalija’s storytelling combines sensitivity and depth, revealing the complexities of human existence with dignity and care.
Woven Fates
Woven Fates is an ongoing multimedia documentary project that explores the devastating impact of textile waste pollution in Ghana. Through the stories of kayayei women, head porters who bear the physical and economic burden, the project highlights the intersection of environmental injustice, colonial legacies, and gender inequality, while showcasing their resilience and fight for dignity. Driven by fast fashion overconsumption in the Global North, Ghana has become a major importer of second-hand clothing, known locally as obroni wawu or "dead white man’s clothes", a direct legacy of fashion colonialism. While Kantamanto market sustains thousands of traders and tailors, the environmental toll is immense. Low-quality garments quickly become waste, overwhelming landfills and polluting ecosystems. At the heart of this crisis are the kayayei, young women who migrate to Accra due to climate change and economic hardship. They carry bales of second-hand clothes weighing over 55 kg, often suffering long-term spinal injuries. Living in Agbogbloshie, Accra’s largest slum and one of the world’s biggest e-waste sites, they face toxic pollution that causes severe health problems. In early 2025, a fire devastated Kantamanto market, destroying over 10,000 businesses and threatening countless livelihoods. For the kayayei, this means losing their only source of income, deepening an already precarious existence. Through layered portraits of kayayei women, polluted landscapes, and the burned ruins of Kantamanto, Woven Fates exposes how Western consumption continues to exploit both people and nature in the Global South.
Woven Fates
Woven Fates is an ongoing multimedia documentary project that explores the devastating impact of textile waste pollution in Ghana. Through the stories of kayayei women, head porters who bear the physical and economic burden, the project highlights the intersection of environmental injustice, colonial legacies, and gender inequality, while showcasing their resilience and fight for dignity. Driven by fast fashion overconsumption in the Global North, Ghana has become a major importer of second-hand clothing, known locally as obroni wawu or "dead white man’s clothes", a direct legacy of fashion colonialism. While Kantamanto market sustains thousands of traders and tailors, the environmental toll is immense. Low-quality garments quickly become waste, overwhelming landfills and polluting ecosystems. At the heart of this crisis are the kayayei, young women who migrate to Accra due to climate change and economic hardship. They carry bales of second-hand clothes weighing over 55 kg, often suffering long-term spinal injuries. Living in Agbogbloshie, Accra’s largest slum and one of the world’s biggest e-waste sites, they face toxic pollution that causes severe health problems. In early 2025, a fire devastated Kantamanto market, destroying over 10,000 businesses and threatening countless livelihoods. For the kayayei, this means losing their only source of income, deepening an already precarious existence. Through layered portraits of kayayei women, polluted landscapes, and the burned ruins of Kantamanto, Woven Fates exposes how Western consumption continues to exploit both people and nature in the Global South.
Nelia Dos Santos Azevedo
Portugal
Nelia Dos Santos Azevedo
Portugal
Nélia Dos Santos is a Portuguese-Angolan documentary photographer and visual artist whose work explores the intersections of social issues, identity, and colonial legacies. Drawing from both personal experience and collective memory, her visual narratives challenge historical silences and create spaces for dialogue between Africa and the Americas. In 2024, she was awarded the Descubrimientos Prize by PhotoESPAÑA and was a finalist for the Fundación ENAIRE Prize. In 2025, she is part of the official PHotoESPAÑA program with her solo exhibition Marimbar at the Museo del Traje in Madrid. She was also selected as a finalist for the GETXOPHOTO International Photography Festival and is currently participating in FotoComba, an international expanded photography program in Argentina, culminating in an exhibition in Buenos Aires in July. Her work was shown in the group exhibition Tránsitos: Por un mundo global at the Alcobendas Art Center in Madrid, and she was nominated by Dalpine for the Star Photobook Dummy Award 2024 of the PSV Foundation. Nélia holds a Master’s in Photography and Artistic Projects from Fundación Contemporánea (PHotoESPAÑA) in Madrid and a Master's in Photography from MoMA in New York. Her practice transcends documentation, weaving intimacy and politics to question dominant narratives and amplify marginalized memories.
Marimbar
Beyond policies of reparation, I believe that art offers a vital space for dialogue—where history can be reinterpreted and re-signified. My work confronts colonial wounds from a place of reconciliation, recognizing that healing can only occur by facing the past directly. The colonial legacy remains a painful inheritance for all sides, and its honest examination is more urgent than ever. Through photography—both personal and archival—I reflect on identity, diversity, and the persistence of colonial influence in everyday life. My approach is self-critical, questioning prevailing narratives and power dynamics. I believe that only by doing so can we begin to reconcile with our shared history. In my project Marimbar, I explore the permanence of colonial trauma by interweaving my own story with many others. By merging family archive images with the present, the project uncovers the “footprints” of a colonial past and proposes new connections between cultures. The title references the marimba, a musical instrument of Angolan origin, carried across the Atlantic since the 15th century. My mother was African. I am a child of decolonization. Between worlds, Marimbar is born from this liminal space, offering a visual meditation on memory, identity, and the enduring echoes of colonial history.
Marimbar
Beyond policies of reparation, I believe that art offers a vital space for dialogue—where history can be reinterpreted and re-signified. My work confronts colonial wounds from a place of reconciliation, recognizing that healing can only occur by facing the past directly. The colonial legacy remains a painful inheritance for all sides, and its honest examination is more urgent than ever. Through photography—both personal and archival—I reflect on identity, diversity, and the persistence of colonial influence in everyday life. My approach is self-critical, questioning prevailing narratives and power dynamics. I believe that only by doing so can we begin to reconcile with our shared history. In my project Marimbar, I explore the permanence of colonial trauma by interweaving my own story with many others. By merging family archive images with the present, the project uncovers the “footprints” of a colonial past and proposes new connections between cultures. The title references the marimba, a musical instrument of Angolan origin, carried across the Atlantic since the 15th century. My mother was African. I am a child of decolonization. Between worlds, Marimbar is born from this liminal space, offering a visual meditation on memory, identity, and the enduring echoes of colonial history.
Nsikanabasi Effiong
Nigeria
Nsikanabasi Effiong
Nigeria
Nsikanabasi Effiong is a photographer and visual artist whose work explores the depth of the human experience, also capturing grace, connection, and meaning in each moment. With a keen sensitivity to colour, light, and shadow, he creates images that go beyond the surface, evoking emotions that linger long after the viewer has seen them. His art is rooted in themes of mental health, faith, and identity, creating a balance between the personal and the universal. Through his work, Nsikanabasi seeks to preserve fleeting emotions, celebrate individuality, and explore the beauty and complexities of life. Whether he’s crafting evocative portraits, showcasing fashion, or documenting culture and community, his photography bridges vulnerability and strength, stillness and movement, the visible and the felt. For him, storytelling through photography is not just about aesthetics but about connection. Every frame reflects his personal journey, his search for meaning, his reflections on life, and his belief that photography is more than an art form. It is a way to understand the world, heal through creation, and contribute to conversations that matter. Nsikanabasi’s work has garnered international recognition, with exhibitions in New York, Bali, and most recently, Germany, where he participated in a Black History Month
showcase. His dedication to visual storytelling earned him the prestigious National Award for Nigeria at the Sony World Photography Awards, underscoring his ability to capture profound narratives with depth and emotional honesty. He believes in the power of images to spark reflection, healing, and meaningful conversations. For him, a photograph is more than just a picture, it’s a preserved moment, a feeling, and a way to understand the world.
Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes
Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes is a photographic exploration that celebrates cultural pride, elegance, and the enduring beauty of Black identity. Through this project, traditional African aesthetics are fused with contemporary elements, creating a timeless narrative that bridges the past with the present. Each image is a study in vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and regal composure, reflecting the rich cultural heritage. The project highlights the power of fashion as both a form of self-expression and a tool for storytelling. By showcasing intricate traditional garments alongside modern styles, Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes emphasizes the seamless blend of history and innovation. The collection invites viewers to experience a dynamic fusion of culture and style that transcends time, reminding us of the strength, grace, and resilience embedded in Black identity. Through each photograph, they are transported into a world where cultural roots are not only preserved but also celebrated with pride and sophistication. The project reflects a journey of reclaiming and reimagining cultural narratives, presenting Black identity not as a trend, but as an ongoing story of empowerment and elegance. Every image evokes a sense of royalty, grace, and timeless beauty, showcasing how African heritage continues to influence and inspire the world today. Ultimately, Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes is an invitation to reconnect with cultural history, celebrate the vibrancy of African aesthetics, and embrace a modern lens through which to view timeless traditions.
Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes
Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes is a photographic exploration that celebrates cultural pride, elegance, and the enduring beauty of Black identity. Through this project, traditional African aesthetics are fused with contemporary elements, creating a timeless narrative that bridges the past with the present. Each image is a study in vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and regal composure, reflecting the rich cultural heritage. The project highlights the power of fashion as both a form of self-expression and a tool for storytelling. By showcasing intricate traditional garments alongside modern styles, Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes emphasizes the seamless blend of history and innovation. The collection invites viewers to experience a dynamic fusion of culture and style that transcends time, reminding us of the strength, grace, and resilience embedded in Black identity. Through each photograph, they are transported into a world where cultural roots are not only preserved but also celebrated with pride and sophistication. The project reflects a journey of reclaiming and reimagining cultural narratives, presenting Black identity not as a trend, but as an ongoing story of empowerment and elegance. Every image evokes a sense of royalty, grace, and timeless beauty, showcasing how African heritage continues to influence and inspire the world today. Ultimately, Royal Threads, Timeless Vibes is an invitation to reconnect with cultural history, celebrate the vibrancy of African aesthetics, and embrace a modern lens through which to view timeless traditions.
Otome Onoge Kajogbola
Nigeria
Otome Onoge Kajogbola
Nigeria
Otome Onoge Kajogbola is a Nigerian photographer and documentary storyteller whose work explores identity, culture, and the everyday realities of life in Nigeria. With a background in law and strong pull towards storytelling, she uses editorial photography to highlight the social and economic forces that influence daily experiences. Her images often blend fashion, portraiture and documentary styles to tell visual stories that spark conversation. Whether photographing on the streets or setting up editorial shoots, Otome is drawn to the untold stories that reveal something deeper about who we are and how we live. Her work is also a celebration of African culture and themes- a way of preserving and reimagining the richness of the continent through visual storytelling. Her approach is honest, reflective, and rooted in the desire to show a more layered view of Nigerian society. Based in Abuja, Nigeria, she is now expanding her practice to include documentary filmmaking as a way to add new dimensions to her work and reach wider audiences. For her, photography is a way of engaging with the world and making sense of it. Through her work she hopes to offer images and stories that stay with people, not just for how they look, but for what they say.
The Oil King
The Oil King is a visual commentary on Nigeria’s economic divide, using fashion and juxtaposition to explore the contrast between wealth and poverty. The series captures the divide through the figure of The Oil King, a symbol of opulence and power, contrasted with a worker representing the masses, a symbol of hard work often disconnected from the rewards of its promises. In addition to The Oil King, this collection also features a powerful contrast; a single photo of a biracial woman in a regal red gown, an epitome of beauty and privilege, with two street kids selling oranges looking up at her in awe. The contrast in this image speaks to the divide between the privileged and the everyday Nigerian, with the street children’s humble existence starkly juxtaposed against the women’s regal, almost unreachable status. Both the series and the single photograph serve as a visual exploration of inequality, power dynamics, and the stark contrasts that define Nigeria’s social landscape. Through these images, the collection invites the viewer to confront the realities of economic disparity, questioning how society’s boundaries are defined and experienced.
The Oil King
The Oil King is a visual commentary on Nigeria’s economic divide, using fashion and juxtaposition to explore the contrast between wealth and poverty. The series captures the divide through the figure of The Oil King, a symbol of opulence and power, contrasted with a worker representing the masses, a symbol of hard work often disconnected from the rewards of its promises. In addition to The Oil King, this collection also features a powerful contrast; a single photo of a biracial woman in a regal red gown, an epitome of beauty and privilege, with two street kids selling oranges looking up at her in awe. The contrast in this image speaks to the divide between the privileged and the everyday Nigerian, with the street children’s humble existence starkly juxtaposed against the women’s regal, almost unreachable status. Both the series and the single photograph serve as a visual exploration of inequality, power dynamics, and the stark contrasts that define Nigeria’s social landscape. Through these images, the collection invites the viewer to confront the realities of economic disparity, questioning how society’s boundaries are defined and experienced.
Ouattara Idriss
Côte d’Ivoire
Ouattara Idriss
Côte d’Ivoire
Ouattara Idriss, artist name O’kiins Howara, is an artist photographer. He has been practicing photography for 7 years now, with four group exhibitions to his credit that have allowed him to showcase his work to a wide audience. Before discovering photography, he explored drawing, poetry, and music, and it’s this entire artistic journey that he translated into his work. His pieces generally address societal issues such as depression, injustice, selflessness, love, and more. His vision of art is, above all, to highlight the beauty and artistic richness that Africa holds
MEN OF THE MATCH
MEN OF THE MATCH is a collection that explores the major stages of human fulfillment through the metaphor of a football match. In this life, we are not mere spectators: we are the players, the strategists, the movers. The work unfolds in five movements: the start, adversity, respite, rest, and finally, the arrival. It all begins with the momentum of the first step. The energy is high, the dreams are grand. But very quickly, reality imposes its rules: trials, doubts, falls. Adversity appears as an inevitable passage. Yet every fall offers a chance to rise even stronger. Then comes the moment of pause, not to flee, but to breathe, to refocus. Rest follows, like a moment of lucid withdrawal. And finally, the arrival, not an end, but a fulfillment. Because this match is none other than the work of our lives.
MEN OF THE MATCH
MEN OF THE MATCH is a collection that explores the major stages of human fulfillment through the metaphor of a football match. In this life, we are not mere spectators: we are the players, the strategists, the movers. The work unfolds in five movements: the start, adversity, respite, rest, and finally, the arrival. It all begins with the momentum of the first step. The energy is high, the dreams are grand. But very quickly, reality imposes its rules: trials, doubts, falls. Adversity appears as an inevitable passage. Yet every fall offers a chance to rise even stronger. Then comes the moment of pause, not to flee, but to breathe, to refocus. Rest follows, like a moment of lucid withdrawal. And finally, the arrival, not an end, but a fulfillment. Because this match is none other than the work of our lives.
Oyewole Lawal
Nigeria
Oyewole Lawal
Nigeria
Taofeek Oyewole Lawal was born on December 8, 1998 and is currently based in Lagos, Nigeria. He studied Sociology at the University of Lagos, which has shaped his artistic career over the past 3-4 years. With a background in sociology from the University of Lagos, Oyewole’s artistic vision is deeply influenced by sociological theories such as functionalism, Marxism and many other theories. Additionally, Oyewole is a mentee at the Nlele Institute, Art Work Project, and studied at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, and G.A.S Foundation. He has participated in the Vital Impact Mentorship program, Storymi Academy, has attended the Dikan Institute, Vii Academy, and several others. Oyewole has received accolades such as the Eugene Smith Student Grant and the Emerging Lens Mentorship and Grant. His work has been exhibited at the PhotoVogue Festival in Italy, at Iwalewahaus in Germany as part of the exhibition “Unmaking”, and at 234 Art Fair, Lagos, Nigeria. He has been published, notably in MotherJones USA, AP Magazine UK and The Republic Nigeria.
Bachelorhood: Becoming in Lagos
In Lagos, becoming a man often starts with leaving home, not out of rebellion, but responsibility. For many young men, especially from Generation Z, independence is not a luxury; it’s a quiet necessity. The city calls, and with it comes a journey of self-discovery, ambition, and growth. Bachelorhood is a story of that journey. It captures the everyday lives of young men navigating the space between who they were and who they are becoming. This project doesn’t dwell on struggle alone. It celebrates resilience, the kind woven into laughter shared over simple meals, dreams pursued through freelancing, and friendships that offer both comfort and competition. It’s in these spaces that new definitions of masculinity emerge, soft, strong, honest, and evolving. With each image, it aims to reflect the beauty of this in-between stage. A mix of solitude and ambition, noise and reflection, city lights and quiet hopes. Bachelorhood is not a pause in life, it is life. It is becoming, on your own terms.
Bachelorhood: Becoming in Lagos
In Lagos, becoming a man often starts with leaving home, not out of rebellion, but responsibility. For many young men, especially from Generation Z, independence is not a luxury; it’s a quiet necessity. The city calls, and with it comes a journey of self-discovery, ambition, and growth. Bachelorhood is a story of that journey. It captures the everyday lives of young men navigating the space between who they were and who they are becoming. This project doesn’t dwell on struggle alone. It celebrates resilience, the kind woven into laughter shared over simple meals, dreams pursued through freelancing, and friendships that offer both comfort and competition. It’s in these spaces that new definitions of masculinity emerge, soft, strong, honest, and evolving. With each image, it aims to reflect the beauty of this in-between stage. A mix of solitude and ambition, noise and reflection, city lights and quiet hopes. Bachelorhood is not a pause in life, it is life. It is becoming, on your own terms.
Paskaline Maiyo
Kenya
Paskaline Maiyo
Kenya
Paskaline Maiyo, a Kenyan-born multidisciplinary artist and storyteller with a background in Land Administration and Land Management, began her artistic journey during a year-long student strike, teaching herself string art, sketching, and painting. Over time, this evolved into a distinctive practice merging body and face painting with photography, creating powerful visual narratives rooted in identity, culture, and social justice.
Passionate about celebrating African culture, she uses face and body painting as a transformative medium to explore heritage, mental health, climate change, and contemporary social movements. Her art fuses traditional African aesthetics with modern expression, treating the body as both canvas and subject to tell intimate, layered stories. She often works through self-photography or in collaboration with other photographers.
Her projects include collaborations with the Future Generations Act (Wales), the Good Ancestor Project, and wellness initiatives using art for mental health. She has exhibited at Manchester Museum, Monmouthshire County Council, Statehouse Kenya, Heywood Civic Centre, and Greater Manchester Town Centre. She is editor-in-chief of How You Dey? and has published My Tribe Art Magazine. Recognized as an Unsung Hero for UK City of Culture 2025 (Cardiff), she also received awards at World Kiswahili Day 2024 and MTM Awards 2024.
Currently, she curates Art, Fashion and Alopecia, a campaign centering individuals with alopecia through body art, photography, and fashion, continuing her mission to empower and connect through art.
Portraits of Becoming
Portraits of Becoming is a personal exploration of identity, resilience, culture, and transformation through face and body art. Each piece in this collection reflects a pivotal moment in my journey; times of deep reflection, cultural pride, spiritual awakening, and environmental consciousness. Using my own face and body as a canvas, I weave together elements from my heritage, life experiences, and inner growth. Materials like cowrie shells, beads, gold leaf, makeup, and natural elements are layered with symbolism, storytelling, and emotion. Through this work, I honor where I come from, the challenges I’ve overcome, and the beauty I find in the process of becoming. This collection is a celebration of strength, memory, and the evolving conversation between tradition and self-expression.
Portraits of Becoming
Portraits of Becoming is a personal exploration of identity, resilience, culture, and transformation through face and body art. Each piece in this collection reflects a pivotal moment in my journey; times of deep reflection, cultural pride, spiritual awakening, and environmental consciousness. Using my own face and body as a canvas, I weave together elements from my heritage, life experiences, and inner growth. Materials like cowrie shells, beads, gold leaf, makeup, and natural elements are layered with symbolism, storytelling, and emotion. Through this work, I honor where I come from, the challenges I’ve overcome, and the beauty I find in the process of becoming. This collection is a celebration of strength, memory, and the evolving conversation between tradition and self-expression.
Peter Irungu
Kenya
Peter Irungu
Kenya
Peter Irungu is a Kenyan photographer based in Nairobi, whose work sits at the intersection of editorial, portraiture, and documentary photography. Driven by a profound belief in the beauty and strength of everyday people, he approaches storytelling with empathy allowing his subjects to shape their own narratives within their natural environments.
As an exhibiting artist, his work has been featured in shows from the Everyday Africa exhibition in Oldenburg, Germany, to the World Food Forum in Geneva and the Kenya Art Fair in Nairobi. His work was also featured in multiple awards and shortlists, including the East Africa Photography Awards, the Sony World Photography Awards, and the GIZ Changing Transport competition, and the Kenya Photography awards where he was a category winner.
He’s photographed for global entities like DIAGIO, UNICEF, OXFAM, Bloomberg, Forbes, and KLM, alongside leading Kenyan organizations such as Safaricom, and Burn Manufacturing. Peter’s powerful imagery has also garnered significant international recognition through publications in Spiegel, Lux Magazine, Msafiri, and NATAAL, as well as academic works.
Ambiguous Citizens
Visualizing the Ambiguous Citizenship of Kenyan Somalis is a documentary photography project that seeks to illuminate the lived realities of a community whose citizenship, though legally recognized, remains socially and politically contested. Kenyan Somalis occupy a unique and often precarious position within the Kenyan nation-state—one shaped by colonial legacies, post-independence policies, and contemporary security dynamics. This project aims to capture the nuances of their identity, belonging, and resilience In urban centers like Nairobi and Eastleigh, Somali communities have carved out vibrant spaces that reflect both adaptation and cultural continuity. Yet even here, identity remains fluid and contested. The term “Somali sijui”—used to describe urbanized Somalis with limited proficiency in Somali—reveals the layered nature of exclusion, where individuals may feel alienated both from mainstream Kenyan society and from their own ethnic heritage. Through environmental portraiture and street photography, the project will explore these shifting identities and the subtle distinctions within the community.
Ambiguous Citizens
Visualizing the Ambiguous Citizenship of Kenyan Somalis is a documentary photography project that seeks to illuminate the lived realities of a community whose citizenship, though legally recognized, remains socially and politically contested. Kenyan Somalis occupy a unique and often precarious position within the Kenyan nation-state—one shaped by colonial legacies, post-independence policies, and contemporary security dynamics. This project aims to capture the nuances of their identity, belonging, and resilience In urban centers like Nairobi and Eastleigh, Somali communities have carved out vibrant spaces that reflect both adaptation and cultural continuity. Yet even here, identity remains fluid and contested. The term “Somali sijui”—used to describe urbanized Somalis with limited proficiency in Somali—reveals the layered nature of exclusion, where individuals may feel alienated both from mainstream Kenyan society and from their own ethnic heritage. Through environmental portraiture and street photography, the project will explore these shifting identities and the subtle distinctions within the community.
Philip Senanu
Ghana
Philip Senanu
Ghana
Philip Senanu is a photographer from Ghana. His photography style is blended with passion and timeless elements, with a storytelling drive. He is passionate about promoting Africa's rich culture and diversity. His storyline is rooted in Africa's breathtaking beauty, vibrant culture and diverse lifestyles which collectively speak volumes about the continent's essence. His artwork is designed to evoke emotions, spark connections and convey messages and he aims to promote Africa to that world.
Motherland
Embracing the vibrant heartbeat of Africa, my art collection is a testament to the continent's breathtaking beauty, rich culture, and diverse lifestyles. Through a kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and emotions, we weave a narrative that challenges negative stereotypes and showcases Africa's essence to the world. My artwork is designed to evoke emotions, spark meaningful connections, and convey powerful messages that transcend words. Each piece tells a story, uncovering hidden histories, and celebrating the intricacies and depths of Africa's story. From the majestic landscapes to the resilience of its people, our art invites you to experience the beauty, warmth, and hospitality that defines Africa. This collection is a journey through the soul of Africa, where every brushstroke, every hue, and every texture speaks to the heart of the continent. It's an invitation to connect, to reflect, and to feel the pulse of Africa's rhythm. Join me on this journey, and let the art transport you to a world of beauty, hope, and inspiration.
Motherland
Embracing the vibrant heartbeat of Africa, my art collection is a testament to the continent's breathtaking beauty, rich culture, and diverse lifestyles. Through a kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and emotions, we weave a narrative that challenges negative stereotypes and showcases Africa's essence to the world. My artwork is designed to evoke emotions, spark meaningful connections, and convey powerful messages that transcend words. Each piece tells a story, uncovering hidden histories, and celebrating the intricacies and depths of Africa's story. From the majestic landscapes to the resilience of its people, our art invites you to experience the beauty, warmth, and hospitality that defines Africa. This collection is a journey through the soul of Africa, where every brushstroke, every hue, and every texture speaks to the heart of the continent. It's an invitation to connect, to reflect, and to feel the pulse of Africa's rhythm. Join me on this journey, and let the art transport you to a world of beauty, hope, and inspiration.
Prince “Uhunoma” Charles
Nigeria
Prince “Uhunoma” Charles
Nigeria
Prince “Uhunoma” Charles is a Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and researcher whose work explores social hypotheses rooted in local and global crises, while reflecting on self and immediate surroundings. His practice investigates psychological and intellectual tensions, the burdens of certainty and uncertainty, and concepts of right and wrong. Uhunoma creates art that emphasizes mood and emotional resonance, aiming to move stories, images, and films from canvas or screen into the audience’s memory, imagination, and lived experience. He navigates the world through colors, light, and shades, engaging the subconscious to evoke feelings and connect them to past experiences.
He is the founder of The Woven Tribe, an experiential-experimental art community in Lagos. Uhunoma’s work has featured in numerous exhibitions and received multiple nominations, including the British Journal of Photography Portrait of Humanity Awards (2024), Best Documentary Canex Shorts Competition (2024), Afropolis “A New Form of Conversation” (2024), LagosPhoto X Afrolution Festival “No State: Fellowship Beyond Ground” (2024), Gida Journal x MTN Photography Competition (2024), LagosPhoto Festival “Ground State: Fellowship Within the Uncanny” (2023), and the 60x60 Film Project, Museum of Bread and Art (2022).
He blends experimental approaches with experiential storytelling, creating art that is simultaneously reflective, immersive, and socially conscious.
My Mother On My Head
“My mother on my head”, from the multidisciplinary project Ripples and the Inbetweens supported by the Goethe Institute Support and Connect grant 2024/2025, takes on the adventure of exploring the effect of transatlantic slavery and colonialism on the deconstruction of identities and formation of new ones. It fabulates the transformative encounter and attempts a cultural preservation/ remembrance of a time before, during and post slavery. The project explores the impact of our traumatic experiences that have shaped the development of African hairstyles. It takes into focus the erasure of hairstyles as a primary form of documentation of events. It serves as a wake up call for deeper meaning and intentionality in the construction of new African styles. It calls on the reconsideration of hairstyles patterned as a form of individual and communal archive tapping into ancestral forms of preserving identity. It serves as an entry point into further conversations around African futurism exploring the concept of inculcating the African past before the interference of western powers in the natural development of African social and cultural development into future dreaming.
My Mother On My Head
“My mother on my head”, from the multidisciplinary project Ripples and the Inbetweens supported by the Goethe Institute Support and Connect grant 2024/2025, takes on the adventure of exploring the effect of transatlantic slavery and colonialism on the deconstruction of identities and formation of new ones. It fabulates the transformative encounter and attempts a cultural preservation/ remembrance of a time before, during and post slavery. The project explores the impact of our traumatic experiences that have shaped the development of African hairstyles. It takes into focus the erasure of hairstyles as a primary form of documentation of events. It serves as a wake up call for deeper meaning and intentionality in the construction of new African styles. It calls on the reconsideration of hairstyles patterned as a form of individual and communal archive tapping into ancestral forms of preserving identity. It serves as an entry point into further conversations around African futurism exploring the concept of inculcating the African past before the interference of western powers in the natural development of African social and cultural development into future dreaming.
Prince Bizenga Debiz
DRC
Born in 1991 in Pointe-Noire, Congo, BIZENGA NKOUKA Prince Debiz , known as "BIZENGA," is a Congolese photographer and visual creator based in Senegal. Passionate about technology and visual arts from a young age, he chose to explore photography after a background in science, finding in it a path where he could fully express his love for creation. Through his lens, he explores the interplay of tradition, modernity, and ancestral rites: fragile witnesses of endangered cultures. His deeply immersive approach captures the energy and stories of the subjects he photographs. Each image becomes a vibrant encounter where past and present engage in dialogue, questioning spirituality and human emotions. With a raw and poetic aesthetic, his work provokes reflection and awareness, challenging the transmission of knowledge and the evolution of cultural identities. Committed and visionary, BIZENGA delivers photography that educates, moves, and transcends time.
The Insider (Wâ bâ tumba)
Beneath the canopy of ancient forests, where the trees whisper forgotten prayers, I walk barefoot over the memory of shadows. Water, the silent messenger, whispers my name, engraved in the breath of the wind. The spirits, invisible and eternal, dance, weaving mysteries between the ephemeral and the immortal. Guided by their masks carved into the bark of time, I pass through a labyrinth where the soul sees what the eye cannot. The river, a silver serpent, glides through the night, carrying the whispers of the Bantu kingdoms. It splits my doubts and strips me of my illusions to reveal the raw brilliance of essence, a gateway to a deeper truth. In the heart of the forest, a fire awakens, a dance of sparks and furtive shadows. A circle forms, mingling voices and shadows, breaking down the walls of the tangible. I drink the water of the ancestors and become the echo between two worlds, while the masks whisper: ‘You are the shadow that enlightens, son of the forests and guardian of sacred secrets’.
The Insider (Wâ bâ tumba)
Beneath the canopy of ancient forests, where the trees whisper forgotten prayers, I walk barefoot over the memory of shadows. Water, the silent messenger, whispers my name, engraved in the breath of the wind. The spirits, invisible and eternal, dance, weaving mysteries between the ephemeral and the immortal. Guided by their masks carved into the bark of time, I pass through a labyrinth where the soul sees what the eye cannot. The river, a silver serpent, glides through the night, carrying the whispers of the Bantu kingdoms. It splits my doubts and strips me of my illusions to reveal the raw brilliance of essence, a gateway to a deeper truth. In the heart of the forest, a fire awakens, a dance of sparks and furtive shadows. A circle forms, mingling voices and shadows, breaking down the walls of the tangible. I drink the water of the ancestors and become the echo between two worlds, while the masks whisper: ‘You are the shadow that enlightens, son of the forests and guardian of sacred secrets’.
Rasha Al Jundi & Michael Jabareen
Palastine
Rasha Al Jundi & Michael Jabareen
Palastine
Rasha Al Jundi is a Palestinian documentary photographer and visual storyteller. She grew up in the UAE, after which she moved to Lebanon to pursue higher education. Her work generally follows a social documentary pathway and focuses on colonial links to social, political and cultural themes. In 2022, Rasha graduated from the Documentary and Visual Photojournalism program at the International Center for Photography (ICP), New York, and won several grants including the inaugural Tom Stoddart award from the Ian Parry grant (2022) and the Revolutionary Storyteller Grants from Photographers Without Borders (2024). She has designed and produced several zines and has been collaborating with other multidisciplinary artists for different projects. Her work has been exhibited in Amman, Beirut, Berlin, Jerusalem, London, New York and Tokyo.
Michael Jabareen (1993) is an award winning Palestinian visual artist and performer, based between Jenin, Palestine, and Berlin, Germany. He was born in the city of Nazareth and raised in Jenin. In 2002, his family got completely separated by the zionist annexation wall. He completed his Bachelors in Architectural Engineering from Birzeit University (2016) and a Masters in Visual and Experience Design from the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Berlin (2021). His work utilises the interconnection between visual and performative arts to illustrate social and political justice themes. He works with a wide range of expressive methods, such as illustration, comics, graphic design, animation, multimedia productions, theatre, and spatial design.
Cold Water: The memory of the past, the coincidence of the present and the desire for the future
How right is it for time to determine our destinies as Palestinians and force us to surrender to it as a given? Time is stripped of its power in the face of Palestinian persistence and tenacity, wherever he/she is and at all times. If he/she goes against every expected current, then the Palestinian is free even if one thinks he/she is restricted. Cold Water is a multidisciplinary visual project that combines photography and illustration, where the image and graphics intertwine, searching for the common thread between two stories written by two exiles, between exile outside the homeland and exile within it. Two timelines that were thought to be unconnected. Yet the memory of the past, the coincidence of the present and the desire for the future had another opinion. The project tells the story of two Palestinian artists: Rasha Al Jundi through the lens of her camera and Michael Jabareen through his drawings and artistic expression, until their meeting in 2022. Their individual stories pass through specific events that are stuck in their memories from the beginnings until the present day and beyond, which without intention shaped each of them as a person, a narrative and a destiny, so that their meeting would be a coincidence written with their own pens. In exile, time finds itself facing a crisis of identity and definition, as its sin splits and multi- plies with the number of exiles; those from whom their will was robbed by time, only to find itself in front of thousands of pens writing their own times as they wished. - By - Rasha Al Jundi & Michael Jabareen
Michael Jabareen (1993) is an award winning Palestinian visual artist and performer, based between Jenin, Palestine, and Berlin, Germany. He was born in the city of Nazareth and raised in Jenin. In 2002, his family got completely separated by the zionist annexation wall. He completed his Bachelors in Architectural Engineering from Birzeit University (2016) and a Masters in Visual and Experience Design from the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Berlin (2021). His work utilises the interconnection between visual and performative arts to illustrate social and political justice themes. He works with a wide range of expressive methods, such as illustration, comics, graphic design, animation, multimedia productions, theatre, and spatial design.
Cold Water: The memory of the past, the coincidence of the present and the desire for the future
How right is it for time to determine our destinies as Palestinians and force us to surrender to it as a given? Time is stripped of its power in the face of Palestinian persistence and tenacity, wherever he/she is and at all times. If he/she goes against every expected current, then the Palestinian is free even if one thinks he/she is restricted. Cold Water is a multidisciplinary visual project that combines photography and illustration, where the image and graphics intertwine, searching for the common thread between two stories written by two exiles, between exile outside the homeland and exile within it. Two timelines that were thought to be unconnected. Yet the memory of the past, the coincidence of the present and the desire for the future had another opinion. The project tells the story of two Palestinian artists: Rasha Al Jundi through the lens of her camera and Michael Jabareen through his drawings and artistic expression, until their meeting in 2022. Their individual stories pass through specific events that are stuck in their memories from the beginnings until the present day and beyond, which without intention shaped each of them as a person, a narrative and a destiny, so that their meeting would be a coincidence written with their own pens. In exile, time finds itself facing a crisis of identity and definition, as its sin splits and multi- plies with the number of exiles; those from whom their will was robbed by time, only to find itself in front of thousands of pens writing their own times as they wished. - By - Rasha Al Jundi & Michael Jabareen
Robin Chaddah-Duke
UK
Robin Chaddah-Duke is a photographer and filmmaker from the United Kingdom whose work takes a grassroots documentary approach. Grounded in historical contexts, his practice examines how contemporary ways of life respond to and interact with the past. He is particularly interested in the intersection of local and global cultures, and how communities navigate and function in a globalized world.
Based in Wales for the past four years, Robin has produced and exhibited projects in close collaboration with the people who have inspired him. He is currently in India, continuing to develop and expand his practice.
An Urban Mosaic
These photographs, captured across various bustling cities of India, place Hindus and Muslims together. Within the dynamic urban landscapes of metropolitan India, these images reflect a shared cultural and social milieu that both communities inhabit. Within the ever- expanding urban sprawl, we can see a space in which the traditions of both groups meet modernity. This body of work subtly interrogates the enduring legacy of colonial-era politics that continue to influence contemporary India's social fabric. In presenting these images, the work not only showcases the "New India”. It also envisions an India where Hindus and Muslims, despite historical and political challenges, can live together harmoniously. It serves as a visual testament to the possibility of unity amidst diversity.
An Urban Mosaic
These photographs, captured across various bustling cities of India, place Hindus and Muslims together. Within the dynamic urban landscapes of metropolitan India, these images reflect a shared cultural and social milieu that both communities inhabit. Within the ever- expanding urban sprawl, we can see a space in which the traditions of both groups meet modernity. This body of work subtly interrogates the enduring legacy of colonial-era politics that continue to influence contemporary India's social fabric. In presenting these images, the work not only showcases the "New India”. It also envisions an India where Hindus and Muslims, despite historical and political challenges, can live together harmoniously. It serves as a visual testament to the possibility of unity amidst diversity.
Rosalind Doherty
UK
Rosalind Doherty (b. 1983) is a British early-career photographer whose work explores the intersection of myth, fiction, truth, and gender. Through a post-documentary lens, she investigates historical events, often reimagining them through staged photography, archival images, and the inclusion of ephemera. Her practice is rooted in a research-driven approach, deliberately blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction. By doing so, she questions how history is written and remembered, and how these narratives shape contemporary understandings of identity and gender.
Dear Leaders
Dear Leader delves into the enigmatic world of cult leaders, exploring their personas through a post-documentary lens. My reimagining of historical events with staged photography, I blur the lines between myth, fiction and truth. Central to my work is an investigation into themes of gender and power. I am particularly intrigued by the dynamics of male behaviour, how charm and charisma are wielded by those who choose the path of cult leader, and the fragile egos that often underpin their actions. Through this project, I seek to challenge perceptions and provoke thought about the nature of leadership, manipulation, and the stories we choose to believe. My work is a reflection on the intersection of reality and imagination, inviting viewers to question the narratives that shape our understanding of history, identity and gender.
Dear Leaders
Dear Leader delves into the enigmatic world of cult leaders, exploring their personas through a post-documentary lens. My reimagining of historical events with staged photography, I blur the lines between myth, fiction and truth. Central to my work is an investigation into themes of gender and power. I am particularly intrigued by the dynamics of male behaviour, how charm and charisma are wielded by those who choose the path of cult leader, and the fragile egos that often underpin their actions. Through this project, I seek to challenge perceptions and provoke thought about the nature of leadership, manipulation, and the stories we choose to believe. My work is a reflection on the intersection of reality and imagination, inviting viewers to question the narratives that shape our understanding of history, identity and gender.
Shams Saber Radwan
Egypt
Shams Saber Radwan
Egypt
Shams Radwan (born 1998, Egypt) is a documentary photographer with a focus on capturing everyday moments and preserving cultural heritage. Through her lens, she offers perspectives that highlight the intricate details of community identity, particularly in Egypt. Since beginning her photography journey five years ago, Shams has earned recognition through numerous local and international competitions and exhibitions.
She received an Honorable Mention and Special Recognition for Excellence and Impact from the PhotoForme International Award for her project “Quarry Workers (Delayed Death)”, exhibited at Station Gallery in the UK. She was the only Egyptian and Arab photographer in the exhibition, alongside prominent figures such as Susan Meiselas. She won gold in the Pixoto Portrait Competition and received commendations in the 2025 Egypt Best Press Photography Awards for “There Was Life” and “Marmah of Upper Egypt”. Shams also secured second place in the Sinc & GLC competition, third place in Wiki Loves
Monuments, and won The Luupe’s “Pets” competition, where her work was featured in a global exhibition exploring human-animal bonds. In 2022, she was the only Egyptian selected among the Top Ten Global Photographers in the Scott Kelby Worldwide Competition. Her unique visual language won her awards in Float Magazine’s “Whispering Shadows”
contest and the All About Photo competition. She reached final stages in major international contests such as HIPA, URBAN Photo Arena, and VOX Albania.
In 2024, her photo was selected among the Top 40 in the Eyeshot Open Call and exhibited in Bologna, Italy. She has also been displayed in exhibitions in her homeland and across the world (United Kingdom, Italy, Albania, Germany, the United States of America). Shams aims to present stories of overlooked lives, capturing silent struggles and forgotten moments with authenticity and empathy, revealing thus both the beauty and pain in the human experience.
Egypt... As No One Sees It
Beneath the surface of a country with many yet familiar features lies a hidden layer of stories, lived quietly in the eyes, voices, and fleeting glances of people who rarely face the camera. Egypt, the real Egypt, isn’t displayed, it’s lived. Not in grand moments, but in subtle, honest details: in the heart of villages, markets, deserts, and narrow alleyways, live people who may lack choices but radiate unmatched dignity. With silent strength, they move forward, expecting little, asking for nothing, and grateful for what they have. Among crushed stones, quarry workers stand tall, not with muscle, but with unshaken eyes and in the clash of horses and knights, history unfolds, not as performance, but as a living legacy. A woman sits with her monkey in a forgotten corner, content with one more quiet day. She sees the world from her place as if she understands what others fear to say. A child leaps between boats on the Nile, light as someone untouched by life’s burdens. In the market, men wait with calm wisdom and patience that doesn't seek attention. These are Egypt’s silent heroes, no titles, no spotlight, just presence.
Egypt... As No One Sees It
Beneath the surface of a country with many yet familiar features lies a hidden layer of stories, lived quietly in the eyes, voices, and fleeting glances of people who rarely face the camera. Egypt, the real Egypt, isn’t displayed, it’s lived. Not in grand moments, but in subtle, honest details: in the heart of villages, markets, deserts, and narrow alleyways, live people who may lack choices but radiate unmatched dignity. With silent strength, they move forward, expecting little, asking for nothing, and grateful for what they have. Among crushed stones, quarry workers stand tall, not with muscle, but with unshaken eyes and in the clash of horses and knights, history unfolds, not as performance, but as a living legacy. A woman sits with her monkey in a forgotten corner, content with one more quiet day. She sees the world from her place as if she understands what others fear to say. A child leaps between boats on the Nile, light as someone untouched by life’s burdens. In the market, men wait with calm wisdom and patience that doesn't seek attention. These are Egypt’s silent heroes, no titles, no spotlight, just presence.
Shrouk Ghonim
Egypt
Shrouk Ghonim
Egypt
Shrouk Ghonim is a Cairo-based visual storyteller whose work weaves together photography and video to explore the delicate threads of human connection, identity, and social change. Her work delves into themes of social justice, women’s rights and cultural anthropology, often highlighting overlooked communities and the intimate moments that reveal the depth of our shared humanity. Guided by a deep sense of empathy, Shrouk’s practice is rooted in memory and resilience, offering quiet reflections that challenge dominant narratives while honoring the strength and complexity of her subjects. Shrouk graduated from the Faculty of Mass Communication at Cairo University with a degree in journalism. In 2022, she was awarded a scholarship from the Ecca Family, which allowed her to complete two diplomas at the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX) in Aarhus, Denmark. Shrouk's work has received multiple accolades, including awards from the Egypt Press Photo Contest in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In 2021, she was also shortlisted for the Thomson Foundation Young Journalists Award. Her work has been exhibited in both Egypt and Denmark, including the “Sard” exhibition at Cairo Photo Week and a group exhibition at the Copenhagen Photo Festival.
The Last Song from the Sugarcane Fields
It was a sunny day when 29-year-old Rimas went, as usual, to a sugarcane field near her home in El Fasher, Sudan, accompanied by two of her neighbors when three members of the Rapid Support Forces followed them and raped the three women. That day changed Rimas’s life forever. The war in Sudan began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. It has caused widespread violence, displacement, and a severe humanitarian crisis, leaving millions without safety, food, or medical care. Rimas, a married woman, became pregnant as a result of the traumatic incident that took place. She was subjected to violence by her husband, after he knew about the pregnancy. Fearing for her safety, Rimas made the difficult decision to flee Sudan, embarking on a perilous journey with her eldest son and her unborn child. She arrived in Egypt, where she gave birth. Yet her struggle was far from over. Rimas now faces the daily challenges of rebuilding her life in a new city, navigating the hardships of being a single mother and a refugee, while still carrying the emotional scars of her past and the pain of the war she left behind.
The Last Song from the Sugarcane Fields
It was a sunny day when 29-year-old Rimas went, as usual, to a sugarcane field near her home in El Fasher, Sudan, accompanied by two of her neighbors when three members of the Rapid Support Forces followed them and raped the three women. That day changed Rimas’s life forever. The war in Sudan began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. It has caused widespread violence, displacement, and a severe humanitarian crisis, leaving millions without safety, food, or medical care. Rimas, a married woman, became pregnant as a result of the traumatic incident that took place. She was subjected to violence by her husband, after he knew about the pregnancy. Fearing for her safety, Rimas made the difficult decision to flee Sudan, embarking on a perilous journey with her eldest son and her unborn child. She arrived in Egypt, where she gave birth. Yet her struggle was far from over. Rimas now faces the daily challenges of rebuilding her life in a new city, navigating the hardships of being a single mother and a refugee, while still carrying the emotional scars of her past and the pain of the war she left behind.
Sira Konté Séne
Senegal
Sira Konté Séne
Senegal
Sira Konté SENE, born on October 9, 1997, in Senegal, is a passionate photographer who entered the audiovisual field after completing her baccalaureate. She pursued her studies at Sun Tech3, earning a BTS in audiovisual studies, where she gained skills in shooting, editing, and post-production. To further refine her expertise, she completed a video color grading course at the Centre Yannenga in Dakar.
Since graduating, Sira has worked on numerous photographic projects, exploring a variety of genres including portraiture, landscapes, and cultural events, particularly festivals. She has also taken part in several cultural events where her talent was recognized. Her experiences as an image assistant on professional film shoots allowed her to collaborate with industry professionals and further develop her technical skills.
Sira has had the honor of exhibiting her work during a masterclass organized by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Senegal, highlighting her recognition in the field. She also participated in an international masterclass for African women photographers in Mali, an enriching experience that shaped her artistic journey.
Driven by passion and determination, Sira Konté SENE continues to establish herself as a talented photographer, committed to capturing and sharing the beauty of the world around her.
Femme-Racines
Femme-Racine is a photographic series that explores the identity of African Black women through a powerful visual metaphor: the root. By linking the female body to natural elements such as tree roots and calabashes, I aimed to create an organic and poetic language, rooted in tradition while engaging with the present. The starting point is a question: what remains of our roots, of our heritage, when we look at Black women today? Who we are takes root in what has been passed down. The strength of African women of the past continues to live within us, silent but essential. Throughout African history, women have always been pillars of the land, the family, and cultural transmission. In this series, I partially covered a woman’s face with roots, allowing her eyes, full of dignity and resilience, to be seen. These roots, used in Senegal for their fertility and healing properties, evoke the connection between body, land, and memory. Traditional fabrics and the calabash, everyday objects that are also sacred, symbolize ritual, continuity, and resistance. Femme-Racine is a tribute to these women whose quiet strength and legacy shape African identity.
Femme-Racines
Femme-Racine is a photographic series that explores the identity of African Black women through a powerful visual metaphor: the root. By linking the female body to natural elements such as tree roots and calabashes, I aimed to create an organic and poetic language, rooted in tradition while engaging with the present. The starting point is a question: what remains of our roots, of our heritage, when we look at Black women today? Who we are takes root in what has been passed down. The strength of African women of the past continues to live within us, silent but essential. Throughout African history, women have always been pillars of the land, the family, and cultural transmission. In this series, I partially covered a woman’s face with roots, allowing her eyes, full of dignity and resilience, to be seen. These roots, used in Senegal for their fertility and healing properties, evoke the connection between body, land, and memory. Traditional fabrics and the calabash, everyday objects that are also sacred, symbolize ritual, continuity, and resistance. Femme-Racine is a tribute to these women whose quiet strength and legacy shape African identity.
Skander Khlif
Tunisia
Skander Khlif
Tunisia
Skander Khlif (b. 1983, Tunis) is a visual artist and storyteller based between Munich and Tunis. His work explores the relationship between people, place, and memory through a poetic visual language grounded in lived experience. Originally trained as a human-machine engineer in Germany, he now focuses on long-term photographic narratives that examine environmental change, cultural identity, and resilience particularly in Mediterranean and North African contexts. He has held solo exhibitions in Tunisia and Europe, including Mediterraneo (Trier), Galerie Blumberg (Potsdam), and Archivart (Tunis). His work has received the Photomed Award, ISPF, the LensCulture 2025 Award, and Art Photo BCN. He has been nominated for both the Prix Pictet and the Leica Oskar Barnack Award.
Where Dust and Water Dream Together
This selection is part of an ongoing photographic series that explores the delicate balance between land and sea, memory and change. Set in Tunisia, the work reflects on a world shaped by both desertification and rising waters, not as opposites, but as intertwined forces. Rather than illustrating climate change through catastrophe, the series leans into nuance and poetics, tracing how human resilience and environmental transformation echo one another. This excerpt offers a quiet meditation on interdependence, impermanence, and the deep-rooted bonds between people and place.
Where Dust and Water Dream Together
This selection is part of an ongoing photographic series that explores the delicate balance between land and sea, memory and change. Set in Tunisia, the work reflects on a world shaped by both desertification and rising waters, not as opposites, but as intertwined forces. Rather than illustrating climate change through catastrophe, the series leans into nuance and poetics, tracing how human resilience and environmental transformation echo one another. This excerpt offers a quiet meditation on interdependence, impermanence, and the deep-rooted bonds between people and place.
Sogo Oladele
Nigeria
Sogo Oladele
Nigeria
Oluwasogo “Sogo” Oladele is a documentary photographer currently living and working between Lagos and Ibadan, Nigeria. He’s a VII Academy alumna, and his work focuses on stories around politics, social justice, human rights, identity and cultural preservation. In his work, he seeks to explore the Nigerian and African identity and our lived experience as people living in the 21st century, specifically as young Nigerians navigating the complicated and ever-changing environment in which they’ve found themselves. Through his work, he seeks to bear witness, interrogating both the mundane and the extraordinary bits of human existence. His goal is to create a body of work that helps people, particularly Africans, develop a better understanding of the world they live in and to create a portal through which future generations can interrogate and understand the past.
24 Years & Counting
24 Years & Counting The Oyo-Ogbomoso dual carriage highway is one of the most important highways in Nigeria, it serves as the fastest link between the Northern and Southwestern regions of Nigeria. Beyond Nigeria, it’s part of a trans-Saharan highway that passes through Nigeria, Niger and Algeria. However, 24 years after the road construction project was awarded, and with over $600 million spent on the project, the road still remains in a pitiable state, with stretches of kilometres still untarred. This documentary project takes on the task of exploring what happens when the welfare of citizens is so neglected that the construction project on a highway which connects two of Nigeria’s biggest regions remains uncompleted 24 years after work started. The project gives a visual report of the current state of the road, and the effect of a never-ending road project on members of the communities where the highway passes through. Most importantly, this project asks: with 24 years having gone by, will the count ever stop?
24 Years & Counting
24 Years & Counting The Oyo-Ogbomoso dual carriage highway is one of the most important highways in Nigeria, it serves as the fastest link between the Northern and Southwestern regions of Nigeria. Beyond Nigeria, it’s part of a trans-Saharan highway that passes through Nigeria, Niger and Algeria. However, 24 years after the road construction project was awarded, and with over $600 million spent on the project, the road still remains in a pitiable state, with stretches of kilometres still untarred. This documentary project takes on the task of exploring what happens when the welfare of citizens is so neglected that the construction project on a highway which connects two of Nigeria’s biggest regions remains uncompleted 24 years after work started. The project gives a visual report of the current state of the road, and the effect of a never-ending road project on members of the communities where the highway passes through. Most importantly, this project asks: with 24 years having gone by, will the count ever stop?
Sosina Mengistu
Ethiopia
Sosina Mengistu
Ethiopia
Sosina Mengistu is a self-taught photographer born and raised in Asosa, Benishangul-Gumuz, one of the most culturally diverse regions of Ethiopia. Growing up in this environment shaped her deep connection to culture, nature, and everyday life, which she now expresses through photography. Her interest in photography began with her father, who used to photograph family members and nature during his fieldwork. While studying at university, Sosina began traveling across Ethiopia, documenting ceremonies, landscapes, and the rhythm of daily life. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she started two personal projects that became turning points in her creative journey: Our Quarantine Life, a photo story of her cousin’s daily life that was later exhibited in London, and an ongoing self-portrait series exploring her emotions and inner world. With over five years of experience, Sosina has worked across documentary, editorial, commercial, and creative photography including music and art collaborations. She has also partnered with NGOs and other organizations, and her work has been featured in different African magazines. Currently, Sosina is developing long-term projects focused on women, tradition, culture and everyday life. Her photography is honest and observant, capturing small but meaningful moments with care and feeling.
Daughters of the Light
Daughters of the Light is a very personal project that began with my aunt, who became a nun shortly after graduating from college. I’ve been visiting her at the monastery every summer since I was nine years old. Over time, I quietly witnessed her spiritual journey, devotion, and the peaceful rhythm of her life. As I grew older, I felt a strong need to document not only her story, but also the lives of other nuns I came to know during my stays. Many of them deeply inspired me with their quiet strength, daily routines, and deep commitment. This project tells the story of women who live in the monastery, women who have chosen a life of faith, service, and discipline. In Ethiopia, the lives of nuns, especially their everyday work, rituals, and spiritual dedication are rarely shared. That was my motivation to begin this work. This project is my way of honoring them: their spiritual path, their discipline, and the light they follow with such grace. That’s why I call it Daughters of the Light, because they are guided by something eternal, something sacred that shines from within. They give their lives fully to Christ.
Daughters of the Light
Daughters of the Light is a very personal project that began with my aunt, who became a nun shortly after graduating from college. I’ve been visiting her at the monastery every summer since I was nine years old. Over time, I quietly witnessed her spiritual journey, devotion, and the peaceful rhythm of her life. As I grew older, I felt a strong need to document not only her story, but also the lives of other nuns I came to know during my stays. Many of them deeply inspired me with their quiet strength, daily routines, and deep commitment. This project tells the story of women who live in the monastery, women who have chosen a life of faith, service, and discipline. In Ethiopia, the lives of nuns, especially their everyday work, rituals, and spiritual dedication are rarely shared. That was my motivation to begin this work. This project is my way of honoring them: their spiritual path, their discipline, and the light they follow with such grace. That’s why I call it Daughters of the Light, because they are guided by something eternal, something sacred that shines from within. They give their lives fully to Christ.
Svenja Krüger
Germany
Svenja Krüger
Germany
Svenja Krüger is a documentary photographer and storyteller whose work explores the profound connections between life, death, and cultural traditions. After the loss of her father, Svenja founded “Stories Matter,” a platform dedicated to capturing the narratives that define our existence, especially in the face of mortality. Her work has taken her around the world, documenting death rituals such as Mexico’s Day of the Dead, Ghana’s fantasy coffins, Ethiopia’s Fasika ceremony and the sacred practices in Varanasi, India. Svenja’s “Hereafter” photo series delves into how facing mortality can inspire us to live with greater intention. Through her lens, Svenja invites us to see death not as an end, but as a profound influence that enriches the way we live our lives.
Undying faith: Tewahedo Church in Ethiopia
In 2021, an Ethiopian-American friend invited me to join him on a journey to trace his roots in Ethiopia. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with his country, its story, its people and its spirit. Ethiopia is a place where history feels alive, where faith is not a relic of the past but a presence woven into every breath of daily life. Here, Christianity - embodied in one of the oldest churches, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - thrives, not only in ancient texts but in the hearts of the people who live it. I hold deep respect for the Orthodox liturgies and rituals, which reveal the mystery, beauty, and wonder of the divine in ways that resonate with and inspire my own Christian beliefs. Experiencing Timket, as well as both Fasika (Easter) and Genna (Christmas) amidst the sacred rock-hewn churches of Lalibela has been a profound privilege. Fasika, in particular, is more than a ceremony; it’s a journey from death to life, where candlelit darkness gives way to a moment that feels like the very essence of resurrection. It mirrors the way I try to view the world, always seeking light in the darkness, always looking for the divine in the ordinary. Being welcomed into these sacred spaces has been one of my greatest honours, witnessing and connecting with a community where faith is alive, flowing through every prayer, song, and step. I continue to return to Ethiopia because it fills me with hope. In a world that often feels divided, seeing generations of Ethiopians gather in unity and peace amidst unrest, practicing traditions passed down for centuries, is a reminder of the resilience found in faith and community. Documenting their story with the reverence they deserve, is my way of sharing that hope with the world.
Undying faith: Tewahedo Church in Ethiopia
In 2021, an Ethiopian-American friend invited me to join him on a journey to trace his roots in Ethiopia. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with his country, its story, its people and its spirit. Ethiopia is a place where history feels alive, where faith is not a relic of the past but a presence woven into every breath of daily life. Here, Christianity - embodied in one of the oldest churches, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church - thrives, not only in ancient texts but in the hearts of the people who live it. I hold deep respect for the Orthodox liturgies and rituals, which reveal the mystery, beauty, and wonder of the divine in ways that resonate with and inspire my own Christian beliefs. Experiencing Timket, as well as both Fasika (Easter) and Genna (Christmas) amidst the sacred rock-hewn churches of Lalibela has been a profound privilege. Fasika, in particular, is more than a ceremony; it’s a journey from death to life, where candlelit darkness gives way to a moment that feels like the very essence of resurrection. It mirrors the way I try to view the world, always seeking light in the darkness, always looking for the divine in the ordinary. Being welcomed into these sacred spaces has been one of my greatest honours, witnessing and connecting with a community where faith is alive, flowing through every prayer, song, and step. I continue to return to Ethiopia because it fills me with hope. In a world that often feels divided, seeing generations of Ethiopians gather in unity and peace amidst unrest, practicing traditions passed down for centuries, is a reminder of the resilience found in faith and community. Documenting their story with the reverence they deserve, is my way of sharing that hope with the world.
Thandolwemfundo Ngidi
South Africa
Thandolwemfundo Ngidi
South Africa
Thando Mfundo Ngidi b. 1991 is a Johannesburg-based photographer, visual artist, and facilitator whose work merges personal narrative with social documentary. Trained at the Market Photo Workshop in 2018 & 2019 respectively , Ngidi has developed a socially engaged practice rooted in storytelling, visual literacy, and mentorship. His photographic language weaves themes of masculinity, memory, and identity through experimental processes.
Ngidi has collaborated on youth-centered projects across Johannesburg, using image-making as a tool for reflection, confidence-building, and healing in underserved communities. He is the founder and Creative Director of Spoon Photography Projects, an initiative building creative infrastructure through accessible arts education.
His photography has also been featured in esteemed online publications such as Photoworks UK and Revue 6 Mois. Ngidi is a laureate of the Dior Emerging Talents Award 2022, a 2025 Africa Foto Fair mentee and previous Tierney fellowship 2019 & 2025 and Daniele Tamagni shortlist 2024. His work has been exhibited locally and internationally, including at Berman Contemporary, Jhb, Luma, Arles and the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich. He currently lives and works in Boksburg.
Meditations on Be-coming and Contemporary De-colonial Black Epistemologies
Meditations on Be-coming is a constellation of simultaneous cosmologies: Excerpts in Beingtween, Prelude to the Quiet Unfolding: Durational Studies in Black Stillness, and The Quiet Unfolding. Together, they converge in an ongoing negotiation with identity, masculinity, and the quiet rituals of self-retrieval, epitomised by a nonlinear embodied cyclical practice of grappling politics of the body and the tussle between visibility and interiority. Excerpts in Beingtween, Prelude to the Quiet Unfolding, and The Quiet Unfolding constellate rather than succeed one another, each returning to and refracting , resisting chronology in favor of cyclical reappearance. Excerpts in Beingtween reflects on past selves and echoes through imaging otherwise by way of collage, confronting and fragmenting images to surface what remains unspoken. Prelude to the Quiet Unfolding occupies a liminal space, gathering stillnesses that hold space for what has not yet emerged. The Quiet Unfolding, is a meditation on strength in vulnerability, documenting the negotiation with an identity that is simultaneously becoming and unbecoming,remembered, unremembered, unsettled, and re-imagined in the space of intergenerational transmission. Across the series, the camera becomes conduit, a vessel of transmission, registering gestures and fragments that exceed intelligibility. These works resist finality, embracing the fragment, the blur, and the unfinished. Together, they form a ritual of witnessing that neither explains nor resolves, but attends, sitting with the self’s quiet unfolding as an act of care and endurance. rooted in Black epistemologies of refusal and aesthesis, the work privileges Becoming over Being, rupture over continuity, and embodied knowledge over the strictures of intelligibility, exploring knowledge through fragmentation, ritual, silence, and refusal.
Meditations on Be-coming and Contemporary De-colonial Black Epistemologies
Meditations on Be-coming is a constellation of simultaneous cosmologies: Excerpts in Beingtween, Prelude to the Quiet Unfolding: Durational Studies in Black Stillness, and The Quiet Unfolding. Together, they converge in an ongoing negotiation with identity, masculinity, and the quiet rituals of self-retrieval, epitomised by a nonlinear embodied cyclical practice of grappling politics of the body and the tussle between visibility and interiority. Excerpts in Beingtween, Prelude to the Quiet Unfolding, and The Quiet Unfolding constellate rather than succeed one another, each returning to and refracting , resisting chronology in favor of cyclical reappearance. Excerpts in Beingtween reflects on past selves and echoes through imaging otherwise by way of collage, confronting and fragmenting images to surface what remains unspoken. Prelude to the Quiet Unfolding occupies a liminal space, gathering stillnesses that hold space for what has not yet emerged. The Quiet Unfolding, is a meditation on strength in vulnerability, documenting the negotiation with an identity that is simultaneously becoming and unbecoming,remembered, unremembered, unsettled, and re-imagined in the space of intergenerational transmission. Across the series, the camera becomes conduit, a vessel of transmission, registering gestures and fragments that exceed intelligibility. These works resist finality, embracing the fragment, the blur, and the unfinished. Together, they form a ritual of witnessing that neither explains nor resolves, but attends, sitting with the self’s quiet unfolding as an act of care and endurance. rooted in Black epistemologies of refusal and aesthesis, the work privileges Becoming over Being, rupture over continuity, and embodied knowledge over the strictures of intelligibility, exploring knowledge through fragmentation, ritual, silence, and refusal.
Wang Xue Sophia
China
Wang Xue Sophia
China
Wang Xue Sophia is a visual artist working across photography, video, performance, and writing. Born in northwest China and based between the Netherlands and Qinghai, her practice explores cultural hybridity, bodily memory, and diasporic experience. With a background in journalism and fine arts, she engages with themes of otherness and intergenerational memory across multiethnic geographies, blending documentary and poetic strategies. Moving between visual and embodied methodologies, she integrates portraiture, rhythm, singing, and dance as forms of research and storytelling.
Henna
Henna is a photographic book that explores cultural memory and hybrid identity through intimate visual storytelling. Raised in an interethnic family in northwest China, I return to personal rituals, like my grandmother dyeing my nails with tea-mixed henna, as a lens to examine Muslim womanhood and cultural continuity. Using photography as a method of embodied observation, I move between Qinghai’s rural landscapes and urban centers like Guangzhou, capturing moments that reveal how women negotiate tradition and modern life. I work across portraiture, still life, and environmental scenes, often focusing on tactile details: red prayer mats, pink hijabs, crimson dates, that echo the symbolic color of henna. These recurring motifs create visual threads linking past and present, memory and transformation. I shoot primarily with natural light and in intimate proximity, emphasizing texture, atmosphere, and the unspoken presence of gesture. Rather than constructing a linear narrative, Henna builds a layered visual poem, fragmented, quiet, and sensory. It reflects a way of seeing shaped by my position as both insider and witness, using the photographic image not to fix identity, but to feel its fluidity. The project invites viewers into a space of reflection on cultural resilience, feminine rituals, and the aesthetics of in-betweenness. Through sensory narratives, it reconnects the photographer with her “mother tongue,” while also challenging the binaries of center and periphery and deepening the exploration of what it means to exist in-between.
Henna
Henna is a photographic book that explores cultural memory and hybrid identity through intimate visual storytelling. Raised in an interethnic family in northwest China, I return to personal rituals, like my grandmother dyeing my nails with tea-mixed henna, as a lens to examine Muslim womanhood and cultural continuity. Using photography as a method of embodied observation, I move between Qinghai’s rural landscapes and urban centers like Guangzhou, capturing moments that reveal how women negotiate tradition and modern life. I work across portraiture, still life, and environmental scenes, often focusing on tactile details: red prayer mats, pink hijabs, crimson dates, that echo the symbolic color of henna. These recurring motifs create visual threads linking past and present, memory and transformation. I shoot primarily with natural light and in intimate proximity, emphasizing texture, atmosphere, and the unspoken presence of gesture. Rather than constructing a linear narrative, Henna builds a layered visual poem, fragmented, quiet, and sensory. It reflects a way of seeing shaped by my position as both insider and witness, using the photographic image not to fix identity, but to feel its fluidity. The project invites viewers into a space of reflection on cultural resilience, feminine rituals, and the aesthetics of in-betweenness. Through sensory narratives, it reconnects the photographer with her “mother tongue,” while also challenging the binaries of center and periphery and deepening the exploration of what it means to exist in-between.
Wilfrid Massamba
Congo
Wilfrid Massamba
Congo
Wilfrid Massamba is a Congolese visual artist, photographer, and filmmaker whose work explores memory, identity, and transmission through photography, video, installation, and writing. For over two decades, he has cultivated a multidisciplinary practice marked by sensitivity to human experience, collective memory, and the unseen.
His work has been exhibited internationally in cities such as Amman, Cartagena, Bogotá, and Pointe-Noire. In 2013, he published Les Artistes Invisibles, a photographic book prefaced by Alain Mabanckou, dedicated to lesser-known Congolese artists. On April 9, 2025, he presented The Tree of Voices at the Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica in Bogotá during Colombia's National Day of Memory and Solidarity with Victims of the Armed Conflict. Installed around a magnolia tree, a symbol of dignity and nobility evokes a dialogue between past and present, paying tribute to the victims the work paid tribute to the victims while linking past and present.
Massamba is also the curator and founder of the Quibdó Africa Film Festival, a platform fostering dialogue between Africa and its diasporas, and has served on international juries as well as evaluator for creative support programs. His artistic journey remains deeply committed, with each photograph standing as a fragment of living memory and a poetic gaze toward the future.
Mourning
In many Western societies, death remains a taboo subject, often approached with solemnity, sadness, and a strict sense of formality. Funerals are typically somber ceremonies where grief is expressed quietly and the separation between the living and the dead is sharply defined. In contrast, many African cultures embrace a different philosophy, resulting in funeral rites that differ significantly from Western traditions. In African traditions, death is not viewed as an end, but as a continuation of life in a spiritual realm. Ancestors remain present through a strong spiritual connection with the living, forming an unbroken link between generations. Death is seen with a sense of hope, marking a reunion with those who came before, rather than an irreparable loss. In Western cultures, particularly those influenced by Christianity and Judaism, death often symbolizes a profound and final separation. Mourning emphasizes absence, distance, and irretrievable loss. In Africa, however, the deceased continue to play an active role in their communities as protective spirits, and are considered integral to the living world. This cyclical view of existence fosters a more celebratory attitude towards death. Instead of merely mourning, communities honor the transition to a new phase of life. Another striking difference lies in the treatment of the body. In many African societies, the body is treated with great reverence through specific rituals to assist the journey to the afterlife. In contrast, Western customs favor discretion; the body is typically confined to a coffin, with a subdued ceremony marking its departure.
Mourning
In many Western societies, death remains a taboo subject, often approached with solemnity, sadness, and a strict sense of formality. Funerals are typically somber ceremonies where grief is expressed quietly and the separation between the living and the dead is sharply defined. In contrast, many African cultures embrace a different philosophy, resulting in funeral rites that differ significantly from Western traditions. In African traditions, death is not viewed as an end, but as a continuation of life in a spiritual realm. Ancestors remain present through a strong spiritual connection with the living, forming an unbroken link between generations. Death is seen with a sense of hope, marking a reunion with those who came before, rather than an irreparable loss. In Western cultures, particularly those influenced by Christianity and Judaism, death often symbolizes a profound and final separation. Mourning emphasizes absence, distance, and irretrievable loss. In Africa, however, the deceased continue to play an active role in their communities as protective spirits, and are considered integral to the living world. This cyclical view of existence fosters a more celebratory attitude towards death. Instead of merely mourning, communities honor the transition to a new phase of life. Another striking difference lies in the treatment of the body. In many African societies, the body is treated with great reverence through specific rituals to assist the journey to the afterlife. In contrast, Western customs favor discretion; the body is typically confined to a coffin, with a subdued ceremony marking its departure.
Yawo Enok Tsevi
Togo
Yawo Enok Tsevi
Togo
Yawo Enok Tsevi is an independent visual storyteller specializing in documenting real-life experiences. He is based in Lomé, Togo, and his work mainly focuses on societal issues that impact people’s daily lives, with a particular interest in showcasing and highlighting the traditions and cultures of his country. He sees himself as a guardian of collective memory for future generations.
The nets of survival
In the fishing port of Lomé (Habo), fishing is much more than a job: it's a tradition, a daily struggle and an essential source of subsistence. It's a way of life deeply rooted in the community, where the port becomes a place of exchange and survival. Here, fish is caught, sold and traded, supporting thousands of families and contributing to the local economy. This series of photos reveals fragments of their daily lives, between resilience and heritage.
The nets of survival
In the fishing port of Lomé (Habo), fishing is much more than a job: it's a tradition, a daily struggle and an essential source of subsistence. It's a way of life deeply rooted in the community, where the port becomes a place of exchange and survival. Here, fish is caught, sold and traded, supporting thousands of families and contributing to the local economy. This series of photos reveals fragments of their daily lives, between resilience and heritage.
Yvann Zahui
Côte d’Ivoire
Yvann Zahui
Côte d’Ivoire
Zahui Yvann (Côte d’Ivoire, 2001) is a multidisciplinary artist working in photography, graphic design, and moving images. Rooted in Afrofuturism, his work explores African identity and societal issues. He studied Filmmaking and Multimedia Graphics at Accra Film School before joining Voodoo Communication as a Graphic Designer (2019-2022) and later MW DDB as an Art Director (2022-2024). A Fellow CatchLight Student under Aida Muluneh’s mentorship, he has worked on projects like Road to Glory - The Nobel Peace Prize 2020. His work has been showcased internationally, including at the Photo Vogue Festival (Milan, 2023) as one of 40 selected artists by Vogue Italia. In 2024, he joined NOOR Foundation’s Advanced Mentoring Programme and received the Chevening Scholarship to pursue a Master’s in Photography at the Royal College of Art. He also got selected for ADIDAS x GUAP - THE ORIGINALS CREATOR NETWORK in London. His works have been exhibited at MuCAT, Windsor Gallery, and the Biennale Internationale du Design Saint-Étienne.
Journey of the Body and Soul
What happens after we die? Do our choices determine our afterlife? Is death a curse, a blessing, or simply an inevitable transition? Journey of the Body and Soul explores this passage, questioning whether death is truly an end or a transformation in the Ivorian cultures. What happens in that irreversible moment when we cross the threshold between existence and the unknown?
Journey of the Body and Soul
What happens after we die? Do our choices determine our afterlife? Is death a curse, a blessing, or simply an inevitable transition? Journey of the Body and Soul explores this passage, questioning whether death is truly an end or a transformation in the Ivorian cultures. What happens in that irreversible moment when we cross the threshold between existence and the unknown?
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