Vanessa Mwingira: Unapologetically Punk, Black, Photographer
“I would be in a land where creatives are celebrated and appreciated.”
Vanessa is an unapologetically punk and Black photographer, in love with kinky hair and most of all, in love with all shades of black. She is based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and is exploring the BdA theme “Mi Soon Come” with the rest of the 2020 BdA Artist Fellowship Cohort. She told us her favorite mode of transportation, how photography helped her find herself, and why she enjoys riding the bus.
Who are your people?
The individuals that never settle for less, constantly on the move for something much better.
Where did you find yourself?
I found myself in my comfort inn, that is my photography. It’s where I could explode, be calm and express my inner feelings.
If solely up to you, where would you be and why?
I would be in a land where creatives are celebrated and appreciated.
What memory taught you about how you move or the expectations of your movement?
Having to get on a bus (daladala) to go to school when I was 8 yrs old really shaped my view on transportation/movement. There’s a joy that I got and still get from being on a bus. It comes from the stories you hear from people that you never get to know the ending because they get off on their stops, it also comes from the loud radio programme that everyone in the bus listens to and has an opinion on whether what was said was meaningful, right or wrong. Also, growing up, it made sense to me that getting on a bus doesn’t mean that you’re poor. You get on a specific mode of transportation that can help you move from one place to another in the pace that you want.
What makes your particular approach to your work stand out?
I don’t believe in heavy skin retouching or skin retouching at all. My photos only consist of beautiful color grading and composition. Also, I blend my photos with artistic concepts and edits.
What social issues does your art/creative work address?
My work addresses the social issue of skin lightening/Bleach. It’s a common misconception where people believe that you can only be beautiful if you’re light skin. We see people selling lightening creams and a lot of people buying them. With my art, I constantly remind people that being black is beautiful and I show this with every image.
Tell us about your favorite/preferred mode of transporting yourself around.
It has to be a motorbike. In Tanzania, we call them bodaboda. With the traffic in the city, it’s very easy to reach your destination with a motorbike compared to a bus or car.
While you wait for the festival, here are some ways to whet your appetite with some of Vanessa’s previous work.
Vanessa Mwingira is one of the core artists of Bakanal de Afrique, the premier global festival of Pan-African Urban culture, community and creatives; see their new work premiering Nov 6- Nov 30, 2020, exclusively on BakanalDeAfrique.com.