Photographic poiesis

: transformative knowledge of African photographic practices

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation explores the production of transformative knowledge through creative practices in the realm of contemporary African photography. It draws on visual culture and postcolonial studies as its primary theoretical framework, and decolonial praxis as a guide for concrete interventions in the social sphere. The principal question posed by this investigation is: How can the strategies available in photographic practices afford transformative knowledge? In addition to shaping society through engaged modes of image production, photography enables practitioners to visually decode the world in a unique way. To that extent, it provides access to the subjective sphere, assisting individuals to cope with personal experiences, emotions, and desires. Moreover, photographic practice produces transformative knowledge when it operates as a mechanism for self-learning. Therefore, it is argued that ‘photographic thinking’ is an empowering tool that promotes a decolonial aesthesis (Mignolo and Vazquez 2013) by challenging restrictive Western notions – such as aesthetics and poetics – and allowing a space for micro-narratives to emerge. In approaching the Catchupa Factory residency as a space for learning based on an emancipatory conception of education, we propose the notion of photographic poiesis. It seeks to establish a more dynamic connection between the discipline of visual literacy and photographic production. Such a linkage leads us to a reflection on the pedagogical aspects within the institutional framework of an artistic residency devoted to emerging African photographers, and how it can effectively generate non-hegemonic visual knowledge, social change, and self-actualization. The results are expected to contribute to visual literacy by providing new tools for artists, educators, curators, and practitioners working with photographic images.

Date of Award	23 May 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Luísa Santos (Supervisor)