•
God’s Time is the Best
• God’s Time is the Best
October 24, 2024
Photographs by KALENGA NKONGE
“Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote.”
Daniel 5:5
I do a lot of walking. It’s something I enjoy doing. It’s also at this time that I do most of my photography. Of late, I’ve been going out to try and take photos of the “writing on the wall,” all the various things that Zambians write on shops, walls, and buses.
Why? –– To record and document the times, but also curiosity about the thinking behind them.
I have learned that Zambians are very religious (yes, something I've always known). Zambians love their God and are not ashamed to show it. They shout out on Sundays and Saturdays in their churches—God is good! Every day, everywhere, in some kind of way, they don’t hesitate to proclaim God's word.
These photos were taken in Lusaka, places like City Market, Kamanga, Ng’ombe, and Chipata compound. The spirit behind these writings seems to be the same regardless of where you are, which I find pretty fascinating.
BEHIND THE LENS
KALENGA NKONGE is a poet turned photographer, he considers his work both an extension and search of himself. His documentary style of photography is a mix of grit, humor and colour. His work has been published in a number of online magazines. He has also taken part in various local exhibitions. Most recently his project Barbershops, fresh popcorn and chickens in the land of plenty, was a finalist in the 2024 Contemporary African Photography (CAP) prize.
