THANDIWE MURIU タンディウェ・ムリウ

For Thandiwe Muriu, photography is a way of honouring heritage while questioning the cultural forces that shape identity.

As KYOTOGRAPHIE's African Artist in Residence, the Kenyan artist will present two exhibitions, showcasing her signature
series alongside new work made in Kyoto.

As a woman who operated in a male-dominated industry in Kenya, Thandiwe repeatedly confronted questions around the role of women in society, the place of tradition, and her own self-perception. These experiences inspired her CAMO series, where her subjects both disappear and serve as a canvas of reflection. Hidden meanings are woven into every image through the everyday objects and hairstyles inspired by archival photographs. Every image is accompanied by an African proverb, expressing the collected oral wisdom of generations past even as Muriu communicates culture in a visual form.

Alongside CAMO, Muriu will show a new chapter of this series created during her residency in Kyoto. Although she had never visited before, Japan consistently appeared in her research of textile histories. Expanding on this, Muriu incorporates
traditional Japanese fabric and prints into her images, exploring the connections and shared histories between Kenyan and
Japanese visual languages.