Maganga Mwagogo: Tra Terra E Cielo

There is some kind of serenity lying within Maganga Mwagogo’s pictures. But where does it come from? – one might ask. A natural feel is never easy to achieve, nor is leaving the carefully constructed idea of being natural behind. Maganga is an artist who knows exactly what he wants from his pictures and eventually, this confidence is what makes the magic happen.

At the age of 27 and based in Nairobi, Maganga uses nature as a trigger rather than as background for his photography. In a previous interview he used the words of upcycling pioneer Rafael Kouto when he said “there are no boundaries between earth and sky and we, as human beings, with the horizon and the clouds, are in the middle of this invisible circular connection.” No wonder that when shooting Rafael Kutato’s latest upcycling couture collection, Tra Terra E Cielo, Maganga was in his element.

There is indeed a connection between these photos and the earth and the sky in Africa. Sometimes it feels like Maganga’s models are truly part of the landscapes in which they’ve been photographed. They belong in these pictures, always in the right place, always at the right time, they’re home as elements of nature. We mentioned the serenity of these pictures earlier, but rest assured, there is also a good deal of wildness in them. Maybe it’s the cloudy light of the relentless Nairobi sun, maybe it’s Maganga’s talent to wait and to catch, always catch the pure emotion in the glances of his models that makes them feel like nothing else. Outstanding work, full of heart.

Design Rafael Kouto, Photography Maganga Mwagogo, Model Juma Onyango

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