CAMO

Thandiwe Muriu breaks with the standards of beauty conveyed by Western fashion magazines and highlights, through her lens, the singular beauty of her compatriots who are often excluded from the standards in their own country. Entitled CAMO, her collection of photographs refers to the way in which the represented subject blends into the background, leaving only its particularities to appear. Among these, the artist revives the glorious past of African queens by crowning her models with traditional hairstyles that have fallen into oblivion, while celebrating the dark skin of the photographed young women. With the desire to reflect the ingenuity of Kenyan women, Muriu transforms everyday objects – such as a laundry basket or sponges – into real fashion accessories. Via her vibrant color photographs, the artist wants to encourage African women to become aware of their uniqueness, while celebrating the richness of their heritage.