A week-long photography exhibition encouraging body positivity and humility by Hakim Rachid, also known as Umuntuu, kicked off this Saturday, January 20, at Atelier Academy, Kimihurura.

The exhibition highlights three series from Hakim's photography practice that he started working on since embarking on his career in 2022. The series consisting of 50 photographs featured in ‘The Trilogy’ are ‘Walking in Black’, ‘Beauty Redefined’ and ‘Female Lines’.

The opening day started at 7pm with a conversation by Hakim revealing what inspired the exhibition. He recalled a common habit by many girls who need the artist to take photographs of them.

He said that when the dates they had scheduled for the photoshoot finally arrive, they tend to ask him to postpone because they need to be fit ( lose weight) first.

" I know how it feels not to love your body, consider yourself fat and photoshop your arms, hands, legs, and skin. At some point you must pass these stages of bullying and wishing to be like somebody else and see your beauty,” says Hakim.

Hakim’s exhibition portrays realness in everyday life, sincerity, and sensuality without imposed stereotypes about beauty, profitable angles and photoshop.

" I think that I always had the ability to view things differently, I see beauty in pain, I see beauty everywhere, probably because there is so much pain.

I spend so much time in my mind looking back on my life remembering it all in flashbacks as if it was somebody else, wondering where I found myself or if I have even found myself.”

"I thank the universe for helping me discover my gifts that I can share with the world because I know how hard it is to not know where you are going, who you are, what to do next, what's right and what's wrong, what it's like to feel crippled by anxiety and depression that nothing seems possible," he said.

The Trilogy exhibition will go on till Saturday, January 27, at Atelier Academy.