assignment: holiday greeting card
artist: Thandiwe Muriu
The new year is synonymous with renewal, an opportunity to contemplate the past to better envision the future. To wish you a wonderful end of the year and a 2025 full of great projects, Maison Longchamp has called upon Thandiwe Muriu, a 34-year-old Kenyan artist on the rise. She has imagined a work entitled " Souvenirs du Futur ", highlighted on a superb greeting card, which enchants us. This optimistic, playful and immersive portrait is marked by bright and tangy colors that make it a visual poetry. A self-taught photographer from Nairobi, she began her career at just 17 and rose to prominence in 2020 by winning the People's Choice Emerging Photographer Award at Photo London. Today, she is one of the few female photographers in Kenya, with work exhibited in Paris by 193 Galerie and an upcoming exhibition at the Musée de l'Homme.
The young artist is known for her own signature, halfway between art and fashion. Her photos are distinguished by a palette of vibrant colors, the use of Ankara textiles — also known as wax — as a backdrop, and Kenyan models dressed in wax that matches the decor. In her portraits, the women seem to blend into the background, almost camouflaged, while radiating with force. The optical illusion is perfect: invisible but impossible to miss, we almost have the impression of witnessing a mise en abyme. This juxtaposition questions the place of women in Kenyan society and confronts us with the obstacles that often hinder their emancipation.
Traditional African hairstyles, whether afro or braided, occupy a central place in her stagings, transformed into real sculptures. Thandiwe Muriu adds a playful touch by diverting everyday objects: clothespins are transformed into earrings, cake molds become glasses. These creative details evoke the sense of resourcefulness while inviting us to take a fresh look at what surrounds us.
Thandiwe Muriu’s work reflects a meticulous collective effort. Each portrait is brought to life by a team of local artisans. After selecting an Ankara fabric, she entrusts its creation to a tailor, who creates custom outfits for her models. She also draws on the ingenious talents of street artisans, called Jua Kali (“burning sun” in Swahili), to repurpose everyday objects into fashion accessories. This creative process embodies her philosophy: “ If you want to go fast, walk alone, but if you want to go far, walk together .”
Each photo is also a reflection, accompanied by an African proverb. For the Longchamp greeting card, Thandiwe Muriu chose: “ If you want to know the end, look at the beginning. ” This message, deeply in line with the values of the House, recalls the importance of learning from the past to build a better future.
Supporting women in their artistic ambitions is at the heart of Longchamp's commitments. Convinced that innovation is based on the transmission and elevation of female voices, the House supports artists such as Thandiwe Muriu, a pioneer of photography in Kenya. Through workshops organized in schools in Nairobi, Thandiwe shares her story and encourages young Kenyan women to take up creative professions, often reserved for men.
By exhibiting his works in its boutiques, Longchamp gives visibility to his talent by making it accessible to the greatest number of people. This partnership goes beyond the acquisition of works of art: it forges lasting links with the artist whose creations embody values of authenticity, know-how and openness.
click the link to learn more about Longchamp
The young artist is known for her own signature, halfway between art and fashion. Her photos are distinguished by a palette of vibrant colors, the use of Ankara textiles — also known as wax — as a backdrop, and Kenyan models dressed in wax that matches the decor. In her portraits, the women seem to blend into the background, almost camouflaged, while radiating with force. The optical illusion is perfect: invisible but impossible to miss, we almost have the impression of witnessing a mise en abyme. This juxtaposition questions the place of women in Kenyan society and confronts us with the obstacles that often hinder their emancipation.
Traditional African hairstyles, whether afro or braided, occupy a central place in her stagings, transformed into real sculptures. Thandiwe Muriu adds a playful touch by diverting everyday objects: clothespins are transformed into earrings, cake molds become glasses. These creative details evoke the sense of resourcefulness while inviting us to take a fresh look at what surrounds us.
Thandiwe Muriu’s work reflects a meticulous collective effort. Each portrait is brought to life by a team of local artisans. After selecting an Ankara fabric, she entrusts its creation to a tailor, who creates custom outfits for her models. She also draws on the ingenious talents of street artisans, called Jua Kali (“burning sun” in Swahili), to repurpose everyday objects into fashion accessories. This creative process embodies her philosophy: “ If you want to go fast, walk alone, but if you want to go far, walk together .”
Each photo is also a reflection, accompanied by an African proverb. For the Longchamp greeting card, Thandiwe Muriu chose: “ If you want to know the end, look at the beginning. ” This message, deeply in line with the values of the House, recalls the importance of learning from the past to build a better future.
Supporting women in their artistic ambitions is at the heart of Longchamp's commitments. Convinced that innovation is based on the transmission and elevation of female voices, the House supports artists such as Thandiwe Muriu, a pioneer of photography in Kenya. Through workshops organized in schools in Nairobi, Thandiwe shares her story and encourages young Kenyan women to take up creative professions, often reserved for men.
By exhibiting his works in its boutiques, Longchamp gives visibility to his talent by making it accessible to the greatest number of people. This partnership goes beyond the acquisition of works of art: it forges lasting links with the artist whose creations embody values of authenticity, know-how and openness.
click the link to learn more about Longchamp