

70:15:40 Project Winner
In her latest work, titled Belonging and Rebirth, Violeta Sofia invites viewers into a world of cultural reverence and visual storytelling. Violeta’s work represents her own journey of reclaiming the beauty and “magic” within Central African traditions. Through her lens, Violeta highlights the dignified strength of cultural practices from Cameroon and Bioko island, particularly those rooted in the wisdom of her family’s tribes.
The exhibition addresses the complex and often painful history of how African culture has been exploited and misrepresented. Historically, African cultural and spiritual practices have been dismissed or demonised by outsiders who lacked understanding and respect for indigenous beliefs, art, and ways of life.
"The island of Fernando Po (Bioko) is inhabited by a savage and cruel sort of people.” Once used to justify European incursions into the island, is a phrase from the past that Violeta’s work challenges. Her work aims to counter the frequent misunderstanding and appropriation of African practices, presenting them instead in their rightful, honourable light.
Through the photographs displayed, the artist explores essential rituals fundamental to the Bubi people of Bioko, alongside elements from her mother’s Bafia heritage in Cameroon. She celebrates the significance of birth and the ritual of Töparápará, a traditional baptism. “We honour birth as a connection to nature and recognise the mothers who have shed blood to bring life into the world. We give thanks to those who came before us—our existence is bound to theirs. Elders pass on for others to be born; it’s the cycle of life, with both beginnings and endings celebrated and revered.”
Each image in this exhibition reveals layers of these traditions: Töparápará, the anointing and blessing of a newborn with Tola leaves. When crushed, these leaves turn red and are applied to the skin. Bötói, the fertility ritual; and tributes to the ancestors.
Violeta Sofia hopes that her work will inspire viewers to appreciate beliefs beyond their own, to recognise the beauty in cultural diversity, and to challenge stereotypes.