Photography is at once an aide-mémoire – of emotions, moments and culture frozen in time – and a glimpse into diverse perspectives on the human condition. The medium can transcend language boundaries and ultimately reveal itself as a shared visual dialogue of life's purest moments. So, as a media partner for Investec Cape Town Art Fair – which this year takes as its theme ‘Unbound’ as a way to explore how art can liberate, challenge and inspire – we sit down with participating lens-based artists, South African Mpumelelo Buthelezi and Ivorian Tamibé Bourdanné, to explore how their work represents their inner and outer worlds. These emerging voices – the former a Market Photo Workshop alumni who nurtured his portraiture as a Muholi Residency fellow, the latter a Leica Award winner who has shot across West Africa – both reveal their ambitions to capture their surroundings with honesty.

Nataal: How would you define your style of photography?

Tamibé Bourdanné: My documentary-style photography is an exploration of the human experience in all its forms: places, environments and people. It involves a lot of time researching the subjects I want to work with and explaining my vision to them. I also revisit places I’ve worked in and keep real connections with anyone I meet. This way I feel more connected to the work and don’t jeopardise my morals and ethics. I try to keep the whole process as authentic as possible.

Mpumelelo Buthelezi: I see myself as a visual practitioner in the fields of photography and journalism. My camera is an important tool in the fight for sustainable change as my work aims to tell people’s stories from an African narrative rather than a Eurocentric one. In essence, my work finds itself at the intersection of documentation, storytelling and advocating activism.

Nataal: How does your upbringing inspire the work you create?

TB: I grew up in Côte d’Ivoire until I was 15 but I have roots in Chad, Niger and Nigeria. My approach has always been to tell stories of my heritage to the world, and with time, I’ll be able to share and express myself even better. Moving to London allowed me to be bolder with my thinking and practice and, in a way, inspired me to go back to these countries to explore my heritage even further.

MB: My upbringing is pivotal in shaping my photographic narratives. Growing up in Soweto, I saw Black people were often captured through a Western lens and so I want to portray us in a different light to the one we’ve seen historically. My work aims to shift those negative or embarrassing narratives and to tell stories to be celebrated. I believe everyone is beautiful in their own individualism.

Nataal: What role do you believe photographers play in African art?

TB: Photography has been battling for years to be considered an art form. I believe the role of photography is to provide vivid replications of our current times. Photography brings a tangible aspect to a world of dreams.

MB: I believe photography raises a lot of questions. I constantly ask myself about its relevance. Personally, I want to tell stories that spread knowledge without the fear of being vilified. As young, emerging, African artists, it’s important to be unapologetic in the work we’re trying to advocate for.

Nataal: Tell us about the series you’re presenting at ICTAF.

TB: The series ‘Sagacious Lady’ is a collaboration with Nigerian designer Bubu Ogisi. We have been exploring the theme of African spirituality. Bubu conceptualised the idea of a combination of Deities through layers of fabrics and other artifacts. We also wanted to display the beauty of African spirituality with a modern twist.

MB: I’ll be showing two works from an ongoing self-portrait series titled ‘Ukuzihlukanisa / Isolation’. The series explores ideas of self-reflection, identity and spirituality.

Nataal: How do you perceive each other’s work and how it intersects with your own?

TB: I can sense that Mpumelelo’s use of black and white photography is a way to display emotions and is an act of remembrance. I believe our works are both about our experiences and that photography has given us the freedom to say our truths.

MB: I can relate to Tamibé in that we share the same sentiments in our approach to photography — someone who is free is someone who is willing to transform society.