The Demanding Photography of Kanayo Kester

By Oyedele Alokan

Kester Kanayo Onyemaechi’s photography brims with ideas. He immerses himself in different photographic styles with one singular aim: to communicate his message.

His portfolio spans portraiture, street photography, conceptual work, and even nudity, yet what unites these diverse projects is his distinctive perspective on the world.

In his artist statement, Kester makes clear that technical perfection isn’t his goal—art as a catalyst for change is. “With this project, I do not aim to show off photography skills—though I would if necessary—I just want to tell stories,” he explains. “I believe less is more, and I use photography as a means of influencing society.”

In recognition of his work, Kester received a plaque from the Organisation for Impact and Reform (OfiarNG) Award for Photography. His technical mastery as a visual storyteller shines through his growing body of work. Hailing from Ika, Delta State, Kester infuses his projects with a profoundly human element, drawing from both personal and cultural experiences. This artistic sensitivity comes naturally to him—he’s also an accomplished poet who ranked among Nigeria’s top ten Student Poetry Prize winners in 2017.

Self-awareness and the exploration of human potential emerge as recurring themes in Kester’s photography. His ‘Man Know Thyself’ portrait series features a chiseled young man adorned with lavish jewelry on his torso and forehead, deliberately challenging societal expectations of masculine presentation. The subject’s flamboyant, shimmering appearance—which some might hastily label as feminine—serves the project’s central thesis: that true self-knowledge requires embracing one’s identity, regardless of social conventions.

The ‘Avoidance of Lust’ project presents an intriguing paradox. While featuring women in their underwear posed in ways that might conventionally evoke desire, Kester’s approach transforms the imagery. By rendering the scenes in monochrome, maintaining model anonymity, and emphasizing bodily symmetry within dark, enveloping environments, he redirects the viewer’s focus. His particular interest in representing African women continues in works like ‘Against the World,’ where figures stand with their backs to the camera in defiant postures, silently protesting the discrimination women face in professional and social spheres.

‘The Man Within’ offers another layer to Kester’s exploration of gender. The work juxtaposes a woman applying makeup with her reflection smoking a cigarette—a gesture traditionally coded as masculine. This deliberate choice raises questions about why certain behaviors remain gender-specific, creating an interesting counterpoint to his other works that challenge stereotypes, like ‘Man Know Thyself.’

Among Kester’s most compelling projects is ‘Egedi’—meaning ‘old’ in Ika. As the artist explains, “Egedi describes something aged, whether human, animal, or occasionally objects. We might say ‘ihien akale egedi’—’this thing is old.'” The series features young women wearing their mothers’ decades-old clothing, recreating poses from vintage family photographs. These vibrant, playful images reveal how generations mirror each other across time—the proverbial apple not falling far from the tree.

Kester’s work has graced exhibitions worldwide: the Lost in Lagos Exhibition (2022); Celebrate Women by Tayese Arts and Culture, London (2025); the ‘Identity’ Group Exhibition, London (2025); Faces That Speak at Blue Koi Gallery, Korea (2025); and the ‘Fragmentos’ Group Exhibition at Echos Studio, Brazil (2025), among others. Through these profoundly human images, Kester continues to share his unique worldview as seen through his perceptive lens. Judging by his trajectory, this appears to be only the beginning of a remarkable artistic journey.

Kester’s work was first exhibitied in the Festus Iyayi Art event in the University of Benin while he was a student and has also been shown at the Lost in Lagos Exhibition (2022).