Zambia's photography shines at Xposure with Bakashimika

Bakashimika, meaning “they will tell stories in the future” in the Bemba language, took the spotlight at Xposure 2025 through a panel discussion dedicated to the emerging photography movement, featuring photographers Geoffrey Phiri, Patrick Chilaisha, Edith Chiliboy, and moderated by Dr Kerstin Hacker.

Opening the discussion, Hacker, an academic and photographer renowned for dismantling stereotypes, explained Zambia’s photography history. “Photography in Zambia for a long time was restricted, actually surprisingly long, till the early 1990s. During that time, if somebody like a Zambian African had a camera, they would hide it because they didn’t want the government to find out. The only people who had cameras legally were photojournalists, those who worked in studios, or white people. It was quite a restricted medium,” she pointed out.

Phiri elaborated on how the distrust of photography trickled into society. “The system wouldn’t allow you to freely photograph even the people, the subject. “The system wouldn’t allow you to freely photograph people or places. Even the subjects became apprehensive, and that creative relationship was broken.”
But change is on the horizon. Phiri and Chilaisha are co-founders of the Bakashimika International Photography Festival, and alongside Chiliboy, they are working to reclaim narratives and inspire a new visual culture. Scheduled for its inaugural edition this June in Zambia, ‘Bakashimika’ promises to offer photographers from Southern Africa a stage to showcase the stories of their communities from an insider’s perspective.

Bringing a region into focus
For much of Zambia’s past, photography was defined by foreign narratives: by NGOs, Western media, and photojournalists documenting crises like the HIV/Aids pandemic. Chiliboy summed up its impact, saying, “There was always a negative connotation when it comes to photography because you’d have the Westerners coming and taking photographs, and people would be terrified that those images would be sold. The stories being told about them were not accurate, and the visual representation of who they are and what their stories were, was misinterpreted.”

Now, through initiatives like Bakashimika, the narrative is shifting. “ “Now, through Bakashimika, we want to show the world a different side of Zambia: stories told by us, for us. Finally, you get to see a different side of Zambia that nobody else shows,” Chiliboy said.

Chilaisha noted how the platform is enabling photographers to explore their artistry beyond commercial demands. “All the photographers were trying to make a living through commercial work, like weddings and so on. We came up with the idea of bringing all these people together and giving them a platform to actually express their art. Many of them were part of ‘Stories of Kalingalinga’ [workshops] and wanted to express art that is not appreciated a lot in Zambia,” he added.
Bakashimika is not only Zambia’s first photography festival but as a regional movement for empowerment and cultural preservation. “We plan to make this a space where photographers do not just critique and display their work but grow professionally. It’s not just about Zambia, it’s about the entire Southern African region coming together,” Phiri pointed out.

Chiliboy added, “We don’t really have a photography school in Zambia. This platform will help photographers have meaningful conversations about the professionalism of photography, storytelling, and cultural preservation. It will show that photography isn’t just about commercialisation but also self-discovery and self-expression.”
Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) Xposure 2025 is taking place in Aljada, Sharjah until February 26. To plan your visit, see https://xposure.net/