Michel Kameni: Portraits of an Independent Africa

Friday, August 29, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Next event date is Saturday, August 30, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m. See all dates

Location:
Smith College Museum of Art Sacerdote Gallery
For:
Open to the Public

This exhibition features portraits by the Cameroonian studio photographer Michel Kameni (c.1935–2020) made at Studio KM in Yaoundé. The 55 prints featured were made during the 1960s and 1970s in the years following Cameroon’s independence.

From its founding in 1963, Studio KM attracted a cross-section of society. As a photographer, Kameni was particularly good at depicting the aspirations of the people who entered his studio. He collaborated with them to craft evocative nyanga (boasting, or bragging) photographs: images to send friends and loved ones or to document important relationships, events, or milestones.

Kameni’s portraits display what was most important to the individuals he photographed: personal and familial relationships, professional identities, national and cultural pride, and their sense of style. As a whole, these images provide a window into the daily lives and ambitions of people living in post-Independence Cameroon. 

Upcoming event dates:
  • Saturday, August 30, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, August 31, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 2, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 3, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 4, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, September 5, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 6, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, September 7, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 9, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 10, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 11, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, September 12, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 13, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, September 14, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 16, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 17, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 18, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, September 19, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 20, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, September 21, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 23, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 24, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 25, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, September 26, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 27, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, September 28, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 30, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 1, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 2, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, October 3, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 4, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, October 5, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, October 7, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 9, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, October 10, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 11, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, October 12, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, October 14, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 15, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 16, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, October 17, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 18, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, October 19, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, October 21, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 22, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 23, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, October 24, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 25, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, October 26, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, October 28, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 29, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 30, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, October 31, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, November 1, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, November 2, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 4, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 5, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, November 6, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, November 7, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, November 8, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, November 9, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 11, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 12, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, November 13, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, November 14, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, November 15, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, November 16, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 18, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 19, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, November 20, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, November 21, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, November 22, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, November 23, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 25, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, November 27, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, November 28, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, November 29, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, November 30, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, December 2, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, December 3, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 4, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, December 5, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 6, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 7, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, December 9, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, December 10, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 11, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, December 12, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 13, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 14, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, December 16, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, December 17, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 18, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, December 19, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 20, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 21, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, December 23, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, December 24, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 25, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, December 26, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 27, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 28, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, December 30, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, December 31, 2025 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, January 1, 2026 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Friday, January 2, 2026 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, January 3, 2026 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Sunday, January 4, 2026 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
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