The Pyramids are Rising: For the Third Culture Kids

Synthia Bahati

Fresh Gallery Ōtara
5/46 Fair Mall, Ōtara Town Centre Auckland

23 October 2020 - 16 January 2021

In this series of photographs Bahati explores the identity of young people with African descent, former refugees and immigrants, living in Auckland. Her intention is that through their self-representation they will create new narratives for the Auckland African community, which are self-realised and reject preconceived ideas and stereotypes.

More than passive subjects, the people photographed were actively involved in the creative process and the images reflect the relationship Bahati has with these people; friends, family, and her community. This connection reveals more about who her subjects are, their authentic identities, which Bahati wants to make visible.

Fashion is a strong form of cultural expression within African communities, from braiding and patterned fabrics to large headwraps. Here, Bahati incorporates and explores elements of fashion photography as a means of retelling African narratives.

The photographs celebrate what these young African New Zealanders look like, who they are, and where they come from, giving the next generation of the African diaspora in Auckland an authentic image.