A selection of work from photographer Abdul Hamid Kanu. Kanu is from Freetown, Sierra Leone. Since returning home in 2020, photography has become both a tool for documenting and a way of reconnecting with his city, people, and himself. His practice is rooted in everyday life and “the moments that reveal who we are.” He explores themes of belonging, memory, and history, using his lens to trace where the personal meets the collective. Working primarily in black-and-white, Kanu aims to create a visual narrative that challenges stereotypes and preserves the texture of Sierra Leonean life for future generations:
“My parents were my earliest teachers on the importance of memory. My father, an engineer with the spirit of an archivist, carefully preserved the small details of our family’s journey, while my mother, who worked in a photo studio, kept our family albums alive. Their quiet dedication to capturing our lives ignited my own passion for photography. After a period of study in Turkey, I realized how little the world knew about Sierra Leone beyond its history of conflict. I felt a pull to return home and document the richness of our everyday lives—to show the world a side of Sierra Leone that is often unseen.”
Abdul Hamid Kanu participated in our 2025 Booooooom Art & Photo Book Award and made our shortlist.
