My name is Mwango and I am a first-year BA (Hons) Architecture student who loves photography. I work mostly in the field of documentary/street photography, capturing the art of life and culture wherever I go, yet continue to develop my practice through events and commission work.
My creative journey started during lockdown, where I found a passion in creating digital media. In 2020, my storage was quickly filled by photographs, posters, vlogs, short films, music videos and advert-style clips of random items I found around my house. I had all the time in the world to set up shoots and learn how to edit using basic software on my phone. By the time I reached my GCSEs, I didn’t hesitate to pick up the only creative digital course my school offered – photography – and quickly grew to appreciate both its demands and creative potential. My love for photography only grew and I continued the subject at A-Level, where, by this point, it had become a significant part of my life.
My photograph, ‘Her Space’, placed second in the AUB Castle Cameras Student Photography Competition. This was advertised to me within the first week of joining AUB, however, I quickly let the pressure of going up against photography students get under my skin. As the deadline approached, I realised what a waste of an opportunity it would be not to get involved, and with the utmost support of my newfound uni friends, I went all in.
Amelia, my photo subject, offered herself to show a quiet and personal ‘unique everyday moment’ for her – taking off her prosthetic leg each evening. It was important to me for this image to convey not pity, but a sense of calm, vulnerability and appreciation.
Placing second gave me a new sense of confidence in my work. Since then, I have involved myself in other creative experiences inside and outside of university, for example, getting in touch with the AUB photography department, entering the Fujifilm UK photography competition and setting up a professional website to showcase my work.
At university, I have also been able to integrate photography into my architectural work. My most recent project involved designing a photographic darkroom for film processing, allowing me to explore the relationship between light, space and creative practice, building on what I know about photography through research and experimentation to reach my final design.
This project was titled ‘Harnessing Rooms’ and involved the challenge of designing a programme within a very narrow gap site in Dorset. With the several limitations that came with our given site, it was extremely difficult to design within, yet we were encouraged not to let this limit the creative freedom we had to design what we would like, so I took this as an opportunity to learn more about film photography and how to create a design that would support the lifestyle of a full-time film photographer.
I have really enjoyed studying architecture so far at AUB. Since the beginning, there has been unlimited support from studio tutors, staff and senior students, providing genuine support and advice, whether it be for university work or personal projects. I am also grateful to have had creative, collaborative experiences with other courses, for example, collaborating with BA (Hons) Textiles Design to design a ‘Christmas Table’ after handing in our first architectural project in December. This collaboration involved learning, teaching and compromising, as well as encouraging healthy competition between our course mates to win ‘best design’. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience which offered us not only the chance to meet and network with other creatives, but also a chance to stay creative and think non-architecturally.
Most recently on my course, we took a trip to Barcelona, Spain, which has so far been the most incredible part of my university experience. On this trip, we visited architectural wonders such as the Sagrada Familia and had the opportunity to visit the work of architects that we have been studying, for example, Mies van de Rohe.
Choosing to study architecture at AUB was definitely the perfect decision for me. I have found myself surrounded by fellow creatives who inspire me to put my work out there, network and collaborate. Over time, I have also learnt how to balance my university work alongside pursuing photography and making time for friends and experiences.
To any aspiring university students, I would strongly advise you to pursue opportunities with confidence, be kind to yourself in the process and don’t compare your path to anyone else's – it is yours.
Want to see more of Mwango's work? Check out her website.
