Portrait of a Poet: A Journey Through Layers

This series of mostly monochromatic portraits, titled Portrait of a Poet – A Journey Through Layers, explores the multifaceted persona of Manka Menga, a Tanzanian poet whose work challenges societal norms and serves as a form of self-expression and therapy. The lines on her face, from a daily morning ritual in honor of her late grandmother, signify a connection to ancestral traditions. They are also like traces of life experiences that have shaped her as an artist. It's an intimate journey into the poet's singular world, yet a reflection of the universal human experience, where we all seek to commune with ourselves. Highlighting the paradox of human experience – the unique and the universal intertwined.