"Chovha xitaduma – push and it will catch": Exhibition celebrates 50 years of Mozambican photography

As part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Mozambique's Independence, the Kulungwana Association presents the exhibition that officially concludes its exhibition year with a flourish. The show opens on November 20th at 5:30 pm at the Kulungwana Gallery, located at the CFM Central Station in Maputo, and is curated by Rodrigo Bettencourt da Câmara and Grant Lee Neuenburg. “Chovha xitaduma” proposes a profound reflection on the central role of photography in the construction of Mozambican cultural identity. Since 1975, photography has consolidated itself not only as a means of recording, but as an essential language for narrating and imagining the country. Over five decades, a cohesive and intergenerational movement has formed, deeply committed to collective memory, resistance, and social transformation. At the heart of this story is Ricardo Rangel, a founding figure whose critical and humanist perspective influenced all subsequent generations. Alongside him, photographers like Kok Nam and Funcho documented decisive moments of the revolution, independence, and civil war, creating an indispensable visual archive for understanding the country's recent history. Simultaneously, Sérgio Santimano brought a technical rigor and aesthetic diversity that broadened the horizons of local photography. The next generation, which included José Cabral, Moira Forjaz, and Rogério Pereira, introduced a more authorial dimension, fusing visual poetry with documentary work. The presentation of Rogério Pereira's exhibition "Momentos" at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 1981, in fact, marked an important international recognition. From the 1990s onwards, Mozambican photography decisively expanded into the field of contemporary art. Artists such as Ângela Ferreira, Filipe Branquinho, Mauro Pinto, Félix Mula and Mário Macilau consolidated the global relevance of this production through their presence in international awards and exhibitions. Currently, the sector maintains its dynamism thanks to a strong commitment to training. Félix Mula and Rafael Mouzinho play a central role in the education of new generations, while names like Amílton Neves Cuna and Thandi Pinto represent a new wave of artists whose contemporary language continues to expand the aesthetic and critical horizons of Mozambican photography. Despite international recognition, structural weaknesses persist, such as the lack of a consolidated art market and archival institutions. However, Mozambican photography continues to reinvent itself, transforming scarcity into creativity and demonstrating a collective strength that truly propels it forward.