The magazine of the photo-essay
April 2017 back issue
by Stephan Würth
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
In late 2013, photographer Stephan Würth embarked on a whirlwind road
trip, winding his way across Burundi, a small landlocked nation in the
heart of East Africa. Snapping images on an iPhone during his journey,
Würth portrays everyday life in the impoverished country, from the bustling
open-air markets of its capital, Bujumbura, to the plantations of sweet
banana and coffee deep in the country’s foothills.
The photographs highlight the integral role the bicycle - or ikinga - plays in
Burundi’s culture. With a candid eye that recalls Walker Evans’
surreptitious subway shots of New York in the 1930s, Würth’s photographs
reveal a lively, resourceful and entrenched bicycle culture that is vital not
only to Burundi’s economy, but also to the daily survival of its countrymen.
At times playful and intimate, Ikinga is a bold meditation upon the power
of creativity and improvisation during times of great difficulty.
Bull in front of beer store.
Burundi rush hour.
Fruit suppliers.
Man in orange shirt almost running me over.
Gas can transport vehicle.
Danger Petrol.
Taxi.
Burundi Farm Vehicle.
Obama supporter.
