From the bustling commercial markets of Dakar and Lagos to the sunlit sidewalks of Abidjan and the historic Beherawi neighborhood of Addis Ababa, a bold new publication is offering a sweeping, multi-faceted look at contemporary life across the African continent. Titled Street Photography Africa, the newly released book brings together a vast and diverse archive of images, capturing the spontaneous rhythms, daily routines, and dynamic cultural expressions that animate urban public spaces.
Published this month by Thames & Hudson, the nearly 300-page survey is the collaborative effort of editors Nadine Barth and Azu Nwagbogu. The volume compiles hundreds of striking photographs captured by 33 distinct visual artists. Each photographer turns their lens outward toward the street, documenting a rich tapestry of everyday moments—ranging from candid snapshots of fashion and neighborhood routines to vibrant cultural celebrations featuring local musicians, dancers, and performers.
Despite the immense geographical scope, distinct regional identities, and varied artistic styles represented across the pages, the comprehensive survey is anchored by a unifying conceptual premise: that "the street becomes a stage." Across cities as diverse as Accra, Abuja, Lomé, and Treichville, public thoroughfares are depicted not merely as transit routes, but as living, breathing theaters of human interaction, commerce, identity, and art.
The publication features contributions from an array of celebrated contemporary photographers whose works offer deeply personal yet widely resonant perspectives on modern African urbanism. Among them is Tsion Haileselassie, whose 2021 photograph Two in One, captured in the Beherawi district of Addis Ababa, frames two young individuals standing before a striking backdrop of lime-green walls and a gray garage door. In Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, photographer Sarah Waiswa documents the quiet weight of daily labor in an untitled 2024 portrait showing a woman wearing a black headscarf while expertly balancing patterned cushions on her head and tucking another under her arm.
The book also explores the intersection of contemporary youth culture, fashion, and urban movement. In Accra, Ghana, photographer Jude Lartey captures a striking black-and-white portrait titled Daniel (2024), featuring a skater wearing white-rimmed sunglasses and a mesh tank top with a skateboard resting across his shoulders. Meanwhile, in Wuse, Abuja, photographer Kothegrapher presents We Dey Road Dey Come (2024), a lively scene capturing a man wearing numerous layered hats as he navigates a bustling street amidst moving vehicles.
Other featured artists turn their focus toward portraiture and storytelling rooted in community heritage. Delali Ayivi’s 2021 photograph Looking Beyond, part of the series Racines de l’Imaginaire captured in Lomé, Togo, portrays two teenage girls in matching dresses, with one gently shielding her eyes from the sun. In Treichville, Côte d’Ivoire, the collective Nuits Balnéaires documents music artist Famas for the Poplin Project in a 2023 portrait set against the backdrop of local livestock. In Dakar, Senegal, Alexandre Gandaho focuses on the intricate details of local transit and culture in Yellow Blue Car Rapide (2023), highlighting a pair of hands adorned with elaborate gold rings resting over a passenger’s lap.
The volume continues to weave narratives of labor, style, and memory through Stephen Tayo’s 2018 portrait Michael, captured in Lagos, Nigeria, which shows a shirtless man seated on a wooden stool amidst a sea of folded and hanging garments. Another poignant contribution from Lagos, titled Before the World Changes Us (2025) by an uncredited photographer, presents a timeless black-and-white image of a formally dressed couple perched sideways on a bicycle. Naëtt Mbaye further expands the Dakar narrative with selections from the series Marché 100 Francs (2024), which depicts a woman in a white dress standing gracefully beneath a canopy of colorful market stalls.
Through its extensive curation, Street Photography Africa challenges monolithic representations of the continent, instead offering a multifaceted, visually arresting exploration of urban existence. By positioning the street as a dynamic stage for self-expression, community, and survival, the book highlights the vibrant individuality and collective spirit defining public life in Africa today.
Street Photography Africa is available now through Thames & Hudson.
