Camo

Camo, a photography book by Thandiwe Muriu, is the first to chronicle the work of an international artist who combines cultural textiles and beauty ideologies in her vibrant portraits. Muriu's personal project of cultural reflection, the Camo series, challenges issues surrounding identity and redefines female empowerment through her choice of materials. The book features constructed images that incorporate African Ankara wax textiles as backdrops and custom-tailored clothing and headdresses, as well as reimagined common objects associated with the daily lives of Kenyans into bold accessories. Each image is paired with an inspirational African proverb in English and Swahili, expressing the uplifting spirit of Muriu's work that empowers women, preserves tradition, and celebrates African beauty and culture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 25 April 2024
Publisher: Chronicle Books

Camo, a photography book by Thandiwe Muriu, is the first to showcase the work of this international artist. It celebrates the vibrant portraits she creates that combine cultural textiles and beauty ideologies. Muriu takes us on a colorful, reflective journey through her world as a woman living in modern Kenya as she reinterprets contemporary African portraiture.

As the sole woman operating in the male-dominated advertising photography industry in Kenya, Muriu has repeatedly confronted questions around the role of women in society, the place of tradition, and her own self-perception. These experiences inspired her personal project of cultural reflection: the Camo series.

Camo was the catalyst for her to push new boundaries in her photography, leading her into a deeply personal artistic journey. The compelling, fully saturated photographs in this collection confront issues surrounding identity while seeking to redefine female empowerment through Muriu's choice of materials. These constructed images are not digital manipulations but physical sets that incorporate African Ankara wax textiles as backdrops and custom-tailored clothing and headdresses.

At the forefront of her practice is using textiles to make her subjects disappear and serve as a canvas for reflection on the question of identity and its evolution over time. Muriu also consistently reimagines common objects associated with the daily lives of Kenyans into bold accessories donned by her subjects. These objects range from hairpins to the mosquito-repellent coils she grew up using.

In Kenya, an object can have multiple uses beyond its original purpose; as Muriu explains, "When you have little, you transform and reuse it."

Throughout the book, each image is paired with an inspirational African.

Weight: 1642g
Dimension: 312 x 237 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781797230016