Earthquakescopes
Dr Muhammed Shehu is a medical doctor and self-made photographer from Northern Nigeria. Unlike many photographers, Dr Muhammed uses his phone and finds joy in capturing every moment throughout his life. He specialises in documentary photography, documenting various places mainly in northern Nigeria. His work has been exhibited at Artxvibes in Lagos and the 8th annual carrefour recently in Abuja. In this interview, he explains his journey and goals, hoping to reshape the narrative in northern Nigeria.
Background
Dr Muhammed is from Kano State and resides there. His journey to becoming a photographer came from his curiosity about his surroundings and how he viewed his surroundings. He grew up believing in keeping memories and fearing that they could disappear, stating that “photography is the only way you can freeze a memory” in a fast-paced world.
He is inspired by other creatives, who are Imran Tilde, Sunshineinapod, Shutterman and his biggest inspiration, Almaajiri. In addition, the movie Aftersun (2022) by Charlotte Wells.
Earthquakescopes
Dr Muhammed explains his work as a documentary photographer, drawing inspiration from the everyday lives of people with their traditions and architectural styles. He believes there is an epidemic of dullness in the world, and people are embracing contemporary colors, including black, white, and beige, as opposed to vibrant colors like red or yellow. With his works, Dr Muhammed is trying to change that and convince others that there is beauty in those vibrant hues, as they are embedded in his history and tradition, hoping that people will begin to embrace colors again.
He adds that there are many misconceptions about the north, which could be due to a lack of exposure or how poorly the media may view the region. By capturing everyday life in his region, he aims to tell or prove that the northern region is filled with joyous, nice, and proud people. He wishes to have his work outlive him and impact others, whether locally or internationally.
He was asked about his best work and he said that it was the doorways. Sounds unique, he further explained why, and picked his ‘doorway series’, he found that most modern doors lack style or color, following the same template and lacking individuality. With those doorways he photographed, he found that those places have their uniqueness and a story to tell.
Doors and doorways Hadeija, 2024
Opinion on the Creative Industry in Africa?
Dr Muhammed believes that there is progress and it is being recognized, especially in Nigeria. Like Abuja and Lagos, people are getting drawn into the creative industry and attracting internationals, leading to a bright future for up-and-coming creatives.
He would like to have more of that in the northern region and says that there is a rise in Kaduna, where he was lucky to meet up with other talented creatives. Though these states are becoming a hub for creativity in Nigeria, it may not be the same as Kano, as there is no wide artist community, as Dr Muhammed claimed. Because of that, he aims to bring a vibrant space where creatives can truly thrive.
Advice to others
His advice for people who want to get into the creative space is to start as soon as possible, with whatever you have and that the right time is now. An example that he uses is his phone for photography rather than using a regular camera, which was stated at the beginning of the text. Though dealing with the workload of being a doctor, he still finds time for his passion and purpose. He concluded, on a Hausa proverb that says, ‘guntun gatarinka yafi sari ka bani’, meaning ‘your small axe is better than someone chopping and giving you the blocks’ and that good things take time, be consistent and you'll see the result.