A woman sits on a low plastic stool in a sunlit outdoor space. Her posture is steady, absorbed in her task. A broad-brimmed hat shields her face from the harsh light. She guides a needle with precise attention over a dark piece of cloth on her lap.
Behind her, a semi-transparent mesh screen divides the space, softening the view of corrugated metal walls. The ground is bare, dusty, and scattered with fragments of debris. The photograph places her within an environment where labor, light, and material objects coexist. Her quiet attention marks the moment as ordinary yet singular, revealing the rhythm of domestic work in this sunlit, open-air space.
— Olaniyi Omiwale
I chose this photograph because it was a quiet moment when Auntie Ntombekhaya was tucked away from the main path of the tour. It portrays care and attention through the activity being engaged in, grace in her posture, seated position and how the needle is held, while also giving context to the community within which this is unfolding. I also thought it was a globally relatable activity - maternal figures tending to their wards, preparing for a week ahead, and attending to a detail that makes a huge difference.
Upon further critique from my South African peers, I was told that this lady was most likely a foreigner and a stay-at-home wife because of the evenness of her skin around her knees and legs. Apparently, South African women living in townships like Kliptown would typically work as housekeepers and cleaners, resulting in hyperpigmentation around the knees and legs due to kneeling while scrubbing or mopping floors. I thought that was an interesting observation.
My practice is rooted in curiosity about the lives of other women. I’m intrigued by their stories that often go untold and unheard. I love that photography can immortalise a person and a moment, while also transporting a secondary viewer into a world they’ve never encountered.
Norkor Nortey (b. 1997) is a Ghanaian documentary photographer curious about the multifaceted lives of African women and how they navigate, take up space and thrive in today’s world. In her practice, women are the protagonists, laying claim to their personal histories and visual culture. She graduated from Dikan Centre’s Photojournalism & Documentary Practice Program and was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Award. She is a member of Women Photograph, Black Women Photographers and APJD. See more of Norkor Nortey’s work on her website and her Instagram.
