Nairobi based photographer Thandiewe Muriu began her Camo series of photographs with the intention of celebrating African fabrics featuring bright geometric patterns with optical-illusion sensibilities. Bug her portraits ended up meaning so much more. Only the subjects’ faces and hands are visible among the yards of fabric, but the focus turns more to their expressions than on the brightly-colored surroundings and garments.
“When I source fabrics, I look for something that I can look at and it almost feels alive. Something bold, slightly confusing on the eyes, and less traditional. In my images, the fabric acts as the backdrop that I can celebrate my culture on. It is a bright, welcoming canvas that I can highlight what I love about my fellow Kenyan people.”
– Thandiew Muriu
Muriu adds everyday items from her life in Nairobi to the photos, items like straws, brushes, and bottle tops, as references to her neighborhood’s history. She also makes a point to feature natural African hairstyles, a feature of her Kenyan culture she doesn’t want to be lost.
You can see all of Thandiewe Muriu’s eye-popping photos on her website and on Instagram.
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My OBT 
May 10, 2022 at 8:30 am
Oh these are fabulous! I love the vibrancy of the prints and the way the figures pop from within all of that colour and pattern. Truly excellent photography.
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May 11, 2022 at 8:18 am
So joyous!
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May 10, 2022 at 8:48 am
I never did dope and “trip out” but I imagine this is what it was like. Very creative but I’m dizzy.
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May 11, 2022 at 8:18 am
LOL. Me too, a little, but I like it.
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May 10, 2022 at 5:11 pm
I got a head ache just looking at some of these. NO thanks not for me. Hal
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May 11, 2022 at 8:19 am
It’s a no from Hal!
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