Black to the Future | Reimagining Now
Born and raised in Kenya, Osborne Macharia is a self-taught photographer who works in the genre of Afrofuturism. Originally coined in Mark Dery’s 1994 article “Black to the Future”, today’s Afrofuturism is no longer fixated on space travel, mysticism, and extraterrestrials, but instead focuses on reimagining the present - one with equal representation, equal opportunity, and a roadmap for tomorrow.
A combination of two independent works, titled Magadi and Nyanye, Osborne Macharia’s exhibition, Black to the Future | Reimagining Now, introduces the viewer to seven transcendental women who lead the charge toward a better tomorrow.
The series Magadi describes three imagined women who are former female circumcisers. Having abandoned their former practice, they have built a fashion empire that serves as a refuge for young women escaping early marriage, offering education and skills for their future livelihood. Meanwhile, the series titled Nyanye portrays three theoretical powerhouse leaders - elderly women who have held positions of political and economic influence. Through both projects, we are given an opportunity to reimagine the present and forecast a future where women of any age, and people of any color, can be celebrated as empowered leaders.
See more of Macharia's work here.
