Camo

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Camo by photographer Thandiwe Muriu, is the first publication to chronicle the work of this international artist, celebrating 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. The visually compelling, fully saturated photographs Muriu creates, confronts issues surrounding identity and self-perception, while seeking to redefine female empowerment through the application of her choice of materials, such as textiles and common household items. This series of of constructed images are not digital manipulations, but instead are physically built sets that combine African textiles she selects as both backdrops and custom-tailored clothing and headdresses. The historical Ankara wax textile defines Muriu's work. 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. In a vibrant realization of the African proverb, "However far the stream flows, it never forgets its source, " Muriu consistently reimagines objects associated with the daily lives of Kenyans into bold accessories donned by her subjects. These everyday objects range from toilet paper rolls to hair pins, to the mosquito repellent coils the artist grew up using. In Kenya an object can have multiple uses beyond its original purpose. This creative recycling is commonplace for a population often lacking in means. She explains: "When you have little, you transform and reuse it." Designing the garments and eyewear worn by her subjects, Muriu collaborates with local tailors and artisans to bring those custom designs to life. Her work is marked by precision and intentionality from the conception of a piece through to its final printed form. Passionate about the rich history of traditional, architectural hairstyles that are being forgotten, she was inspired to incorporate modern forms of these hairstyles into her work in a process she refers to as 'modernizing history'- drawing from historical elements to inform future generations about the past. Throughout the book, each image is paired with an inspirational African proverb in both Swahili and English, expressing the collected wisdom of generations that continue to inspire - "With a little seed of imagination you can grow a field of hope.