Motheo Moeng opens his first photography solo at 44 Stanley's Path Nomad gallery space from Thu, Sep 5 – Sun, Sep 29. 

20 years since enrolling at the National College of Photography in Pretoria Cape Town-born Motheo Moeng's debut solo, Borno State of Mind, opens at Path Nomad – a relatively new gallery space at 44 Stanley. 

As a cinematographer, Moeng has worked on feature films including Africa's first Netflix original, Queen Sono, in 2018. Whether moving or still, he has been a lover of storied imagery since receiving a Pentax camera from his father as a gift when he was 18 years old. His captivating series Borno State of Mind heroes the resilience of Chibok in Northern Nigeria and its people. The village experienced a mass abduction of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in 2014, and in 2021 Moeng travelled to the region to capture life after the tragic ordeal. He found a vibrant and strong community, persisting against all odds. "This is not a sad story, but a story of strong-willed women of Chibok who farm, raise children, and strive to educate their girls," explains the curatorial statement. 

Across the city, it would seem the medium of photography is having a moment, being the focus of the GIF pavilion at FNB Art Joburg this year, while FNB Art Prize winner Lindokuhle Sobekwa and Sabelo Mlangeni have solo showings at Johannesburg Art Gallery and Umhlabathi Collective respectively.

See Moeng's solo at Path Nomad until Sun, Sep 29.