Kenyan visual artist Kibe Nduni is set to present his photographic series titled COILS at the FOTO Bali Festival 2026.
Opening on June 3 and running until July 12 at Nuanu Creative City in Bali, Nduni is among the 36 artists selected for the final exhibition.
The FOTO Bali Festival 2026 received 693 submissions from artists from more than 80 countries, with high participation from India, Indonesia, and Italy. The 36 selected artists represent roughly five percent of all applicants.
Through the theme AFTERIMAGE, the annual festival invited artists to send lens-based works that focus on what lingers after an experience has passed and the longevity of photographs.
Nduni submitted two pieces titled Golgotha and Something Borrowed, which are part of his COILS series that examines contemporary identity formed through Western influences.
Golgotha depicts a woman viewed from behind, centred against a dreamlike landscape background. Her hair is sectioned into three afro-puffs, decorated with small religious crosses.
The next piece, Something Borrowed, shows a woman viewed from the back, and against a colourful background, her hair is styled into two braided circular loops. Inside each loop is a bright blue plastic toy gun set within the hair structure.
The artworks explore how Western elements such as religion and language intersect with African social life and affect how identity is expressed. Hair is a subject which represents individuality and cultural identity, and it is where different histories and stories come together.
“I was looking at influences in and around Africa and how they are very Western. I wanted to mix iconographies into something that is unique to us. I found what is unique to us is our hair: the twists and coils,” he says.
He found out about the festival call through an artist friend. After reviewing past editions and thinking about the theme, he chose COILS, a series he started developing in 2023, because it speaks about identity and transformation.
“It portrays what happens when external narratives come into a different cultural or personal context and what identities emerge from that interaction,” he explains.
He views his selection as affirming and unexpected. Being chosen for an international exhibition, he says, shows that his work is relevant beyond his environment.
Exhibiting in an international photography festival feels inclusive and stretches its reach. Seeing the artworks printed and installed, rather than on a screen, changes how it is experienced, he says.
“It gives the images a physical life. In contrast to the speed of digital platforms, I hope the festival setting allows viewers to slow down and spend more time with the work,” he expresses.
Having his work shown in Bali opens the stage for cross-cultural exchange. It also creates an opportunity for audiences from different parts of the world to engage with his works despite distance. He adds that his participation asserts African photographers’ place on international stages.
“It’s important that African stories are told in ways that are embedded in local perspectives and real-life experiences, rather than external interpretation,” he says.
As COILS travels to Bali, he hopes audiences will see the perspective behind them: that of a Kenyan artist creating art on his terms. He is open to the possibilities that may come from the exhibition, including engaging with curators, collectors, audiences, and fellow artists for future collaborations.
Based in Nairobi, he works in photography and print that depict contemporary African life through imagination and real-life experiences.