We are pleased to announce the photographers and writers selected for Tender Visions, our commissioning project developed with support from the Open Society Foundations. 

Tender Visions is a new cross-disciplinary commissioning program for photographers and writers based on the African continent, produced by Tender Photos and supported by funding from the Open Society Foundations. 13 photographers have been commissioned to produce new work within their communities, guided by predefined themes, and in collaboration with 26 writers, who are to write original creative or critical responses to the photographic projects. Our aim is to create space for deepened engagement with visual storytelling in Africa, and to bring new narratives to local and international audiences in insightful and thought-provoking ways.

We extend our unreserved thanks to the following acclaimed jurors who assisted in the selection of the artists: KC Nwakalor, Michelle Loukidis, and Renée Mussai (Photography); Muthoni Muiruri, Rémy Ngamije, and Ukamaka Olisakwe (Writing).

The portfolios and texts will be published on this website beginning in October. Join us in congratulating this cohort.

Directly commissioned artists

These artists, whose work we have admired for some time, were directly commissioned by our team to begin work on groundbreaking collaborations around the themes of the Tender Visions projects.

Abdul Hamid Kanu is a Sierra Leonean photographer and founder of Muyu Journal, a platform for contemporary African storytelling. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at Carleton University Art Gallery. He has collaborated with several brands and organizations, creating visual narratives that explore identity, community, and the beauty of everyday life.

Amarachi Nnoli is a documentary photographer and artist currently experimenting with photographs. Her practice majorly explores women in different fields and their experiences in society — especially the women of her family — the archiving of Igbo cultural practices, and documenting the joys of everyday people.

Lidudumalingani is a writer and photographer. His photographs have shown in group exhibitions in South Africa and in Amsterdam. In 2021, he received the COVID-19 Emergency Fund from National Geographic, to make work about how his village was adjusting after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

Yasmine Hatimi works as a photographer in Casablanca. Her latest work focuses on young Moroccan masculinity, which she approaches with a certain dreamlike romanticism. Her work has been shown at festivals and venues including Photo España, Festival Photo Saint Germain, Alliance Française de Safi, Festival d’Arles, Fondation des musées in Rabat, Middle East Institute in Washington, DC. 

Billie McTernan’s work as an artist and writer considers ways of spilling over the confines of what is generally considered to be writing. She is interested in the possibilities presented by non-verbal and visual language systems. As such, her work is nestled in the nexus of literary and contemporary art.

Bongani Kona is a PhD candidate and lecturer in the Department of Historical Studies at the University of the Western Cape. His writing has been featured in various outlets, including The Interpreters: South Africa’s New Nonfiction, Chimurenga, New York Times, The Baffler and BBC Radio 4. Kona is also the editor of Our Ghosts were Once People: Stories on Death and Dying.

Damilola Onwah is a Nigerian writer and podcast host whose work explores identity, migration, and fractured family life. Her fiction and essays have appeared in Transition Magazine, The Bangalore Review, and more. A Hedgebrook and Monson Arts alum, she lives in Seattle and dreams in prose and R&B.

Shubnum Khan is a South African author. Her latest novel, The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is a New York Times Editors Choice Pick, longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award and won the 2025 HSS Award for Best Novel. She is also the author of Onion Tearswhich was shortlisted for The Penguin Prize for African Writing.

Temitope Owolabi’s writing explores the hopelessness of loss together with the delicateness and possibilities of love on the human experience. Her fiction won second place in the inaugural Mo Siewcharran manuscript prize and she has been a finalist for the prestigious Miles Morland Writing scholarship twice. In 2015, she was selected to participate in the Farafina creative writing workshop hosted by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She writes from London where she lives with her family.

Zenas Ubere is a Nigerian writer and editor. He was selected for Tender Photo’s 2024 editorial fellowship, LOATAD’s 2023 West African Writers Residency, and the 2022 SBMEN & Goethe Institut Art Writing and Criticism Workshop. He is the coordinator of Lolwe Academy.

Artists selected from our open call

Abderrahmane Ajja (b. 2000) is a Marrakech-based photographer and cinematographer exploring urban transformations, displacement, and collective memory in Morocco. His work investigates how communities adapt to imposed changes while preserving traditions. A Grand Prix Face à la Mer laureate, he has exhibited internationally and works on both personal and commissioned visual storytelling projects.

Adetutu Adediran is a photographer whose work explores themes of migration, identity and belonging. She uses symbolism to represent ideas, also incorporating bold, vivid colors to evoke emotion and establish a strong visual presence. Her practice is often rooted in research, drawing from history, personal and collective experiences to build narratives that allow reflection and reimagination. Her work has been exhibited at Rele Gallery, Alliance Francaise, Fire Station and +234art fair.

Amine Machitouen (b. 1992) is a self-taught documentary photographer and journalist based in Germany and Morocco. He is a VII Foundation Fellow, and AJPD member. He has been published in both print and online. His work has been exhibited in Morocco, France, Germany, and Dubai.

Faduma Mohamoud Ali is a photographer, writer and humanitarian practitioner based in Somalia. Her photography has been featured in group exhibitions at the National Museum of Somalia and Goethe Institut in Nairobi, Kenya with African Women Photograph. One of her photographs was also featured in Tender Photos Newsletter in May 2025. She was selected for Pfumo Collective’s first cohort of writers in 2025 and African Writers Trust Writers-in-Residency Programme 2025.

Hana Gamal is an Egyptian photographer and visual artist, born and raised in Cairo. She holds a dual degree in Mass Communication & Media Arts, and Psychology, from the American University in Cairo. In 2021, she further expanded her practice by completing an advanced master’s program in Photojournalism at The Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX) in Aarhus, Denmark.

Leteka Phillip Leteka is a filmmaker, writer, and educator based in Maseru, Lesotho. Editor-in-chief of Mamosetse magazine and founder of Majoaneng—Academy of Images and Letters, he explores storytelling across film, literature, and photography. His work blends existential reflection, memory, and culture, building platforms for Lesotho’s emerging creative voices.

Mahefa Dimbiniaina Randrianarivelo is a Malagasy photographer whose digitally manipulated portraits explore identity, history, and social issues. Winner of the Paritana Prize and the CAP Prize, he has exhibited internationally in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Côte d’Ivoire. His work bridges art and advocacy, fostering dialogue on postcolonial legacies.

Ọlájídé Ayẹni is a media artist telling stories about the built environment and its relationship with people. He is often preoccupied with documenting urban change and how it impacts people living and working within a specific space, particularly how that space influences human interaction and experience. A 2024-25 Prince Claus Building Beyond Fellow, he has been exhibited and published locally and internationally at Art Fairs, festivals, galleries, magazines, books and monographs.

Visule Kabunda is a Zambian-born photographer and graphic designer whose work explores memory and identity. Drawing from an upbringing across Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa, he reflects on how personal and collective histories are inscribed in landscapes, domestic spaces, and everyday practices. His practice employs photography and publishing as critical tools to navigate fragments of the past while reimagining possible futures.

Buke Abdub Galma is a Kenyan writer and pharmacist whose short stories have appeared in Adda, Lolwe and the East African anthology, Let Us Conspire and Other Stories. Shortlisted for the 2023 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, she writes to reflect overlooked voices and lived experiences within her community and beyond.

David Mann is a writer, editor and art critic from Johannesburg who writes at the intersection of art, performance, and fiction. He has received numerous awards for his criticism on visual art and theatre, as well as his short fiction. His collection of short stories, Once Removed (Botsotso, 2024), draws from the undercurrents of the South African artworld and was awarded the Thomas Pringle Short Story Prize.

Emmanuel Esomnofu is a Nigerian writer. With a widely published portfolio in culture journalism, his creative work has been published by Brittle Paper, Kalahari Review, The Muse Journal and Afapinen. His work explores the manifestations of Self, parsing contemporary issues through the lens of historical perspective. Esomnofu constantly interrogates what it means to be human and alive, a recurring motif across his multi-genre presentation.

Ife O. Olatona is a multidisciplinary writer and Johns Hopkins alum. A former contributor to The New York Times’ “Modern Love” column, in 2021, The Times (U.K.) spotlighted him as one of five young poets under 25 to watch.  He is working on a novel.

Iyanuoluwa Adenle is a writer living in Lagos, Nigeria. Her writings have appeared in The Poetry Review, Agbowo, Banshee Lit, Maroko, Peppercoast Lit, 20.35 Africa, Olongo Africa, Lolwe, and elsewhere. She has also contributed to a number of art publications including Tender Photo, Art Network Africa (formerly Art News Africa), Pavillon 54 and Omenai. Adenle is a 2024 Lantern Art Space Fellow and the winner of the 2024 Kofi Awoonor Poetry Prize.

Joseph Omoh Ndukwu is a writer, editor, and art critic. His work has appeared in Guernica, Prairie Schooner, Off Assignment, Transition, The Brooklyn Rail, and elsewhere. In 2021, he was selected for the Momus Emerging Critics Residency, and in 2022, he won the Virginia Faulkner Award from Prairie Schooner.

Karen Chalamilla is a culture writer and researcher based in Dar es Salaam, with a keen interest in African art and pop-culture. Her work explores art in all its forms, against political and identity considerations including race, gender, sexuality, and class.

Mona Zutshi Opubor is a Nigerian and Indian-American writer, educator, and editor based in Lagos. A fellow of the Iowa International Writing Program and Purple Hibiscus Workshop, she teaches literature and writes a monthly column for Lost in Lagos Plus. She has also served as a literary judge for Nigerian writers.

Olaniyi Omiwale was born in Lagos, Nigeria. His short stories and essays have appeared in A Long House, Saraba Magazine, Tender Photos, among other publications. He currently lives in the country's capital, Abuja.

Zoë Gadegbeku is a Ghanaian writer. She received a master of fine arts in creative writing from Emerson College. Her work has appeared in AFREADA, Blackbird, and The Washington Post, among other publications. Her first novel, Blue Futures, Break Open, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2025.

Bengi Rwabuhemba is a Ugandan writer and researcher. She holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Northwestern University and an MSc in African Studies from the University of Oxford. Her interdisciplinary writing practice bridges social commentary, critical theory, and the arts, exploring how knowledge systems shape African identity in the aftermath of colonialism and slavery. Grounded in an ontological ethos, her work affirms Africans’ right to exist fully and freely beyond the scaffolding of colonial thought.

Candice Jansen describes herself as a memorist. Her practice in photography as a writer, editor, curator, scholar, archival researcher, and educator helps tell black and indigenous stories, remembers overlooked histories, and shares encounters with image-making & cultural justice.

Chimezie Chika is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. His works have appeared in or forthcoming from The Weganda Review, The Republic, The Iowa Review, Terrain.org, Efiko Magazine, Dappled Things, Channel Magazine, and Afrocritik. His work has been granted and awarded by the LLEAA (2024) and the 2023 J.F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction. He holds a degree in English and Literary Studies and currently lives in Nigeria.

D. S. Battistoli is a writer and international development professional. He lives in Dakar with his family. You can follow him on Substack.

Eduardo Quive is a journalist, writer, and cultural programmer based in Maputo, Mozambique. His work in the arts includes literary curation, programming, and writing for visual arts catalogues.He is the author of a novel, a book of short stories and books of poetry. He also edits several literary anthologies involving authors from Portuguese-speaking countries. He has been involved in residencies and artistic interventions in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, and India.

IfeOluwa Nihinlola is a writer from Ogbomoso, Nigeria. He is graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and currently studies in the Art History Department at Emory University.

Roli O’tsemaye is a Nigerian writer, curator, critic, and cultural producer. Her work explores themes of memory, community, and form, with writings featured in leading international publications. As Program Director of Angels and Muse, she develops initiatives that support artists and cultural practitioners across Africa and its diaspora.

Santhea Sinivasan is a writer, filmmaker, and photographer exploring memory, media, and meaning. With an Honours in Film & Television from UCT, her work spans screenwriting, creative non-fiction, and photography. She co-created Yoh, Vote!, contributed to leading literary agencies, and was recently selected for PFUMO Collective’s African anthology Citizen.

Wambui wa Mwangi is a writer from Limuru, Kenya, with a focus on nonfiction and a growing interest in art criticism and fiction. She has contributed to The Weganda Review, Usawa Literary Review, Kalahari Review among other places.

Jury

We extend our unreserved thanks to the following acclaimed individuals who assisted in the selection of the artists.

KC Nwakalor is a Nigerian-born Documentary Photographer, Producer, and Educator based in Manchester, UK. His work centres on social, economic, health, and environmental issues, with a particular focus on their impact across Africa and its diaspora. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Financial Times, Time Magazine, Le Monde, and NPR. KC’s work has been exhibited internationally, and he has delivered talks and workshops at institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal Photographic Society, World Press Photo, and the Magnum Foundation. He is a member of Diversify Photo, The Royal Photographic Society, Frontline Freelance Register, and the African Photojournalism Database (APJD).

Michelle Loukidis received her photographic training at TUT in Tshwane, South Africa. Subsequently working as a commercial photographer for over 10 years. Her keen interests in photographic development and education led her to the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg, where she trained and mentored young photographers from all over Africa for over 18 years. In 2018 she founded a woman based photographic art school, Through The Lens Collective in Johannesburg. Being an educational workspace, the collective aims to assist visual artists/photographers in refining their photographic practice, expanding their visual grammar and developing their narrative skills. She is also one of the founders of Tombe Magazine, an online photographic magazine established in 2024. A fine artist herself, she has exhibited her photographs in solo and group exhibitions. Michelle prefers working in film using medium format cameras, where she feels a certain amount of the magic of photography is still retained.  She works and lives in Johannesburg.

Renée Mussai is an independent curator, writer and scholar of visual culture and lens-based media, whose research-led work routinely centers Black feminist practices through immersive exhibition, research and publication projects. Formerly senior curator & head of collection at photographic arts charity Autograph and briefly artistic director of The Walther Collection, she is currently senior research associate at VIAD, University of Johannesburg; guest curator at The Barnes Foundation; visiting lecturer at Sotheby’s Art Institute and holds several other academic and institutional affiliations including chairperson of the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation’s advisory council. Her most recent books include the edited volume ‘Black Chronicles—Photography, Race & Difference in Victorian Britain’ (2025, Thames & Hudson / Autograph), and the forthcoming, sole-authored anthology ‘Eyes that Commit—A Visual Gathering’ (Prestel, 2026). In 2025, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of the Arts London.

Muthoni Muiruri is a Nairobi-based Literary and Cultural Practitioner. She is the Founder of Soma Nami Books and curator of the African Book Fair, an annual hybrid book fair and festival in Nairobi. With a background in Psychology, Muthoni is deeply curious about the complexities of the human condition - particularly how historical narratives and colonial legacies—continue to shape the present. Her work sits at the intersection of literature, history, and social inquiry. When she’s not immersed in books or curating literary spaces, she’s likely exploring new destinations or mulling over whether she’ll ever finish her PhD. Her research focuses on history and international relations.

Rémy Ngamije is an award-winning Rwandan-born Namibian author, editor, publisher, photographer, literary educator, and entrepreneur.  His books include The Eternal Audience Of One—which was honoured with a Special Mention at the inaugural Grand Prix Panafricain De Litterature and won the inaugural African Literary Award from the Museum of the African Diaspora—and Only Stars Know The Meaning Of Space, his collection of award-winning fiction. In 2021 he won the Africa Regional Prize of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and was shortlisted for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing in 2021 and 2020. He was longlisted and shortlisted for the 2020 and 2021 Afritondo Short Story Prizes respectively. In 2019 he was shortlisted for Best Original Fiction by Stack Magazines. Rémy is the founder and chairperson of Doek, an independent arts organisation in Namibia supporting the literary arts and the editor-in-chief of Doek! Literary Magazine, the country’s first and only literary magazine. He is also the founder and director of several literary initiatives such as the Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards, the Doek Literary Festival, and the Doek Anthology.

Ukamaka Olisakwe is an assistant professor of screenwriting and fiction and the editor-in-chief of Isele Magazine. She is a UNESCO Africa39 honoree, a University of Iowa IWP fellow, a VCFA Emerging Writer Scholarship winner, a Morland Foundation Scholarship finalist, a Gerald Kraak Prize runner-up, and a Nommo Best Novel Award finalist. Her stories and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Granta, The Republic, Guernica, Longreads, The Rumpus, Catapult, Google Arts & Culture, and elsewhere. The author of Ogadinma (2020) and Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name (2023), she’s writing a TV series, Agoodjie, for Canal+/StudioCanal.