Last Updated on 01/30/2025 by Lara Carretero
It’s truly inspiring to see how some photographers continue to help make the image-making community grow despite hardships and challenges in their lives. They place their immense trust in those whom they teach, proving how passing down one’s knowledge is a form of love and care for the medium and its ability to help others achieve immense success. An example is Mohamed Keita, an African refugee who founded a studio to help many youngsters find hope in challenging times.
Keita was 17 when he was forced into exile. However, after his long journey to Rome, Italy, from Mali, he found photography to be his vocation and a tool for self-expression. With the help of photographers who taught him and others at a migrant reception center in Rome, Keita expanded his horizons when he joined Exusphoto, a photography school in the city. Although he did not understand Italian fully, the photographer immersed himself in the technicalities of the medium while focusing on his intent of taking the art form.
In 2017, after fully grasping photography, he established Studio Kene in Kanadjiguila, a neighborhood in Bamako, Mali. Why? Beacaude, the region, is known for its growing migrant community. He was not alone. He found support in Italy with the Foundation Pianoterra, a group that helps individuals living in poverty by empowering them with education and training in art forms. Studio KENE’s aim has since been to inspire local youth in Kanadjiguila, and since then, the space has grown to help youngsters with education, creativity, and collective action.
We all have to find something to hold on to, I found photography, that’s why the camera became my best friend. Images are my traveling companions. As long as I breathe, the journey continues, as for each of us.
Mohammed Keita
Today, Studio Kene focuses on non-hierarchical teaching, teamwork, and self-expression through photography. Keita states that photography is a tool that helps people understand their community better and even themselves. Thus, it is a great tool for fostering trust and self-determination.
In addition to teaching, Studio Kene also offers its participants the opportunity to work in photography and film, often offering them teaching roles or training to photograph local events such as weddings. The projects that students have produced showcase the unseen side of Kanadjiguila, which many overlook. Furthermore, in addition to technical skills, Studio Kene helps students narrate their reality and reflect on their cultural identity.
Studio Kene opened its branch in Rome’s Esquilino district three years ago. This space caters to adults and also functions as a great collaborative learning environment where students can engage in the theoretical and practical aspects of photography. The Rome-based studio works with professionals in publishing, street photography, and editing, providing a rich, interdisciplinary space for learning and creative expression.
Keita’s efforts have helped many young students showcase their works across Italy, including in Rome, Naples, and Prato. The kind of work he and his teammates have managed to achieve in such a short span is not short of exemplary. In many ways, they have provided many youngsters and adults with a unique livelihood, which they may not be able to reach on their own. There is also international exposure, which allows the pupils to spread their wings and move out to a new place, thanks to the little device in their hands. Thus, this reminds us that photography is a powerful tool, and it must be passed down to as many people as we can.
For more information, head to Studio Kene’s website.