NYC Gazette

NYU Gallatin Galleries is hosting "Thandiwe Muriu: I Am Because We Are," marking the first solo exhibition in the United States for Kenyan fine art photographer Thandiwe Muriu. The exhibition will run from January 30 to March 3, 2025, and features works from Muriu's Camo series. This collection uses African textiles and proverbs to delve into themes of beauty and womanhood.

The exhibit is curated by Keith Miller and Lauren Walsh, professors at NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. An opening reception and talk are scheduled for February 12, 2025.

Muriu's photographs aim to deconstruct Africa’s vibrant cultural practices, textiles, and beauty ideologies. By using textiles to make her subjects blend into their backgrounds, she reflects on identity evolution. "Textiles are an underappreciated art in and of themselves that both capture history and express identity—they are as dynamic as the people who wove them," Muriu states.

Each photograph is paired with an African proverb, allowing Muriu to convey ancestral wisdom. "Their usage invites us to consider how heritage informs and shapes contemporary African identity even as the continent rapidly changes under the influence of the forces of globalization," she explains.

Born in Nairobi, Muriu discovered photography at age 14 with her father's camera. She began working professionally at 17 and was involved in advertising campaigns for major African companies before turning 30. Her artistic career took off in 2020; she had her first solo show in Paris in 2023 and participated in this year's Venice Biennale. Her book "Camo" was published earlier this year.

The exhibition title comes from the proverb “I Am Because We Are,” highlighting key elements of Muriu’s photographic philosophy according to curators Miller and Walsh. They describe her work as saturated with rich fabrics that invite viewers into a world filled with color and design while engaging them in conversations about various social themes.

"Muriu is a master at forcing difficult and existential questions," they note, adding that her work blends historical proverbs with modern objects to comment on societal fabric.

The exhibition is free to visit Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., located at 1 Washington Place (at Broadway) in Greenwich Village.

Gallatin Galleries showcases innovative works that combine multiple artistic forms with themes like economic, racial, and social justice since its founding in 2008 by Keith Miller.