Oath is a ground-breaking biannual publication homegrown in Cape Town, South Africa that celebrates the art of photography, champions emerging voices from Africa, and shines a light on overlooked archives. We have taken an Oath to push the medium of photography from South Africa and beyond.
Our collectable volumes present to the world a curated view of the sweeping frontier of contemporary African photography. We recognize the need to interpret the vast scope of photographic output coming from Africa by providing a much-needed dedicated space for a diverse new generation of photographers.
There are not enough platforms to engage with contemporary African photography both on home soil and abroad. Oath is changing this. By creating a publication to inspire and inform, we are providing an essential platform that connects the photography community across Africa and opens a dialogue with global audiences.
Our mantra is: ‘A Photography Pledge’ and our mission is to grant emerging photographers across the continent visibility. Oath facilitates a unique space for photographers to showcase their work and provide a visual diary of key talent from other areas of the world. Oath strengthens connections in the broader photography community and is a valuable source of information for anyone interested in photography and more specifically to those working in the field of African visual culture.
Read more about Oath Founder and Editor Stephanie Blomkamp.
Stephanie Blomkamp in conversation with Mimi Aborowa
Part of BITESIZE BOOKFAIR, our series of short talks on Instagram Live programmed as part of our Online Photobook Fair 2020.
Why we love Oath magazine
Some of the most exciting contemporary photography right now is being made in Africa, so we were excited to see a new magazine devoted to providing a platform for a diverse generation of photographers. But don’t just take our word for it — the Financial Times says, “for a fantastic reminder of the staggeringly good photographers Africa has, buy Oath magazine”; while Rare Mags says, “Packed full of talented, up and coming photographers from the African continent, Oath has achieved a wonderful publication.”
Volume One: Curiosity
280mm x 210mm. 150 pages.
Published Cape Town, South Africa, 2020
Cover image by Kader Diaby
In this issue:
Spotlight on rising photography talent: Kader Diaby (Ivory Coast), Nipah Dennis (Ghana), Mpho Mokgadi (South Africa) and many more
Interview with Hilina Ababe
A photography curation on the theme of boyhood
Photographer Nonzuzo Gxekwa documenting Johannesburg
Meet the publisher
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![Stephanie Blomkamp]()
Stephanie Blomkamp, Founder and Editor
Stephanie Blomkamp was born in Johannesburg South Africa and is the driving force behind Oath. She is a practising photographer herself and recently launched the inaugural volume of Oath. As an Editor, Blomkamp has taken a pledge to push the medium of photography from South Africa and beyond. She carves out a specific space to celebrate emerging voices across the African continent. Her greatest motivation in life is the art of photography, and her purpose with Oath is to champion new talent.
Dismayed by the lack of independent print titles available in South Africa and the more apparent void of photographic representation at art fairs and galleries, she set out to create a volume to change this.
Blomkamp’s mission with Oath goes beyond the pages of the publication. She runs a working platform that helps emerging photographers with mentorship programs, workshops, micro-grants, and exhibitions. Oath is a beacon for photographers on the continent, both as a place for work to be seen and validated but also as an important space for international audiences curious about contemporary African photography.
www.stephanieblomkamp.com
