Naive Photographs

Sithabo Mathe
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Penn Engineering), Undergraduate Program in Fine Arts and Design, Weitzman School of Design
Student Creative Production Grant

SithaboMathe_ViewfromThando'swindow_2400x2151.jpg Image Breakdown Long Description: The black-and-white image depicts an outdoor scene at night. In the foreground, there are two people walking along a paved area, illuminated partially by streetlights. To the left, a large, empty billboard frame stands against a backdrop of tall, dark trees. Central to the image is a simple, rectangular building with a slanted roof. Its walls are white and reflect soft light, with a small amount of text visible. Additional structures are seen to the right, partially obscured by shadows and trees. The sky is cloudy, with faint light peeking through. Alt-text: Nighttime scene with a building, billboard frame, and two people walking.

View from Thando’s Window. Courtesy of the Artist.

Naive Photographs is a book project culled from a series of black and white photographs documenting Sithabo Mathe’s first return to Zimbabwe, which coincided with the 2023 presidential elections. This stage of the project entails selecting approximately 40 of these images to package as a book. Many of the photographs document the public and political, but are annotated as a private album, alongside extempore family portraits. The grant will cover printing costs for the book in two formats: a softcover booklet with scans of the original hand annotated binder pages and a more extensive hardcover edition.

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