Imvelaphi (On Identity)
A Photograph by Ngidi Thando Mfundo
There’s a gash of broken concrete on the wall, the first opening to be noted in the scene. The other opening, from which a half-dressed person in black shorts stands in a contorted pose, tenders a compressed view of a kitchen table. The fingers on view gather in a bulky clutch, perhaps with an intent to mark its dexterity. No head can be seen, which might explain the angular tilt of the refrigerator door. In general, the mood is sedate in its choreography, as though time itself could manage a break from toilsome grind.
— Emmanuel Iduma
“I see photography as an art of the ‘afterward’—a medium where meaning unfolds in retrospect.”
This image was made at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, a time marked by both anticipation and anxiety as I awaited the birth of my first child. The home, once a space of comfort and security, had transformed overnight into a place of confinement and uncertainty. The lockdown imposed physical restrictions, but it also intensified the emotional landscape I was navigating. The walls that surrounded me not only enclosed my body but also echoed my thoughts and feelings about impending fatherhood and the fragility of the world outside.
During this period, my photographic process became deeply intuitive; I allowed the environment to speak to me. Things like the light filtering through windows, the silence of the rooms, and the subtle shifts in my emotional state informed the images I created. This approach allowed for a more honest and introspective exploration of my inner world. I embraced the imperfections and the spontaneity of the moment, which often mirrored the unpredictability of the time. The image is thus not just a visual representation of a physical space, but a documentation of a personal journey—one of anticipation, reflection, and transformation, shaped by both external circumstances and internal emotions.
I chose this image because it marks the foundation of a deeper excavation into my identity, aligning with my work in progress, “Memoryscapes.” In my practice, I see photography as an art form of the “afterward”—a medium where meaning unfolds in retrospect. We often only understand the significance of our images when we reflect on them later.
In the image, my head in the fridge acts as a metaphor for searching, a gesture representing my mental state while trying to retrieve or understand aspects of myself that felt unresolved. The fridge symbolises not just physical nourishment but also an emotional and spiritual quest.
At the time, I grappled with the question of who I am and what kind of father I was about to become. The coldness associated with the fridge speaks to stagnation, where parts of identity can feel inaccessible, while also hinting at the preservation of memories that shape me.
This retrospective engagement is vital to my practice. Only after the photograph is made can I truly grasp its significance. This image encapsulates a moment of transition, both physically and emotionally.
Since I was introduced to photography through street photography, my approach is rooted in personal experience, yet reflective of broader human conditions. I think of the camera as a tool for storytelling, a medium through which “inner landscapes”, thoughts, and memories can be visually articulated. Rather than focusing on the surface of the subjects, through photography we are able to peel back layers of lived experience, which often involves grappling with emotional and mental landscapes. Photography, for me, is not just about capturing a moment but about creating a dialogue between the self and the image, hence I gravitate towards themes of fragmentation, ambiguity, and liminality, often working in spaces that challenge clear definitions of identity, memory, and time. This nuanced, personal approach allows me to blur the lines between abstraction and documentary, offering a space to engage with the hidden, often overlooked dimensions of life.
In essence, photography is not about capturing but authoring; it has a lot to do with critical engagement, abstraction, and utilising it as a visual language of reflection, healing, and self-awareness.
— Ngidi Thando Mfundo
About Ngidi Thando Mfundo
Ngidi Thando Mfundo is a Johannesburg-based photographer. He studied at The Market Photo Workshop and has since exhibited in group shows at the Berman Contemporary in South Africa and Art of Colour at Luma foundation in France. His work has also been featured in prominent online publications, including Photoworks UK and Revue6Mois. In 2022, he was recognised as a laureate of the Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents. See links to his work here.
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While staying at an Airbnb, a friend and I decided to capture a few portraits, utilizing the available sunlight on our balcony for some outdoor, environmental shots. The photograph required no special gear—only myself and my subject. Returning to the basics of shooting with one camera and a single model was an important reminder to not be afraid to work with the tools I have at hand, and that sometimes, less really is more.
LAST WEEK — “Veld” by Tendayi Dabengwa
This photograph was taken during a river safari on Chobe River in Botswana. The swamp-like river eventually flows into the grand Zambezi River. I made this work made during a road trip through Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
This is the 137th edition of this publication. The newsletter also read on web (best for viewing images), and via the Substack iOS/Android apps.
TENDER PHOTO is a collaborative digital archive and publishing platform of contemporary African photography, edited by Emmanuel Iduma. Our aim is to use photography to engage with life on the African continent. We publish narratives about the people, places, and events pictured in photographs, contributing to nuanced and layered perceptions.
Every Wednesday we feature a photograph, a short caption about it, and a statement from the photographer. Last year, we published commentaries or photo-essays in response to photographs previously featured on the newsletter, including CORRESPONDENCES, CONCORDANCE, KINDRED, INDEX, and AFFINITIES. Our recent Friday series was dedicated to the 5 photographers featured in Process Projected, Amsterdam.
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First photo is gorgeous!