A Visual Journey Into The Heart Of The Himba Tribe

In this collection of striking imagery, commercial and celebrity photographer Xavier Saer invites us to learn more about the Himba tribe of northern Namibia. This collection is the first of many to come from this prolific photographer.

Xavier Saer is no stranger to the world of photography. His work has taken him far afield to places such as Dubai, Sao Paulo, New York, India, Zanzibar, and Ghana. Over the years, he has gained prominence for his work with international and local celebrities such as Black Coffee, Nomzamo Mbatha, Basetsana Kumalo, Terry Pheto, Lira, Zonke, Kelly Khumalo, and Somizi.

There is, however, more to this photographer than capturing the who’s-who of the entertainment industry. Xavier is now venturing deeper into the art of photography by telling authentic African stories. He has added a new collection to his portfolio—a collection that captures the lives and traditions of the Himba tribe of northern Namibia. “It all started last year when I stumbled on an image of the Himba online. From that second, I was fascinated by them and I vowed to travel there and live with them, to know more about their ways of life and to photograph them in a personal way,” says Xavier.

The Himba By Xavier

Xavier travelled to the Namibian Desert to live amongst the Himba tribe. He spent a week there, learning their language, building huts, cooking, listening to their stories and photographing every aspect of their lives. Xavier’s debut collection, Himba, Lords of the Sand, was exhibited in July at the historical Rand Club in Johannesburg. 10% of all proceedings that Xavier made from his collection went back to the Himba community.

“This collection is about showing the beauty of Africa and portraying Africans as the storytellers of their own stories, through my eyes. This is about the African Renaissance, strength and beauty. I hope everyone gets to see what I see through these images.”

Through his Himba collection, Xavier adds a new dynamic to his photography portfolio. The country can expect to see more intimate collections like this in the near future.


TO SEE MORE OF XAVIER’S WORK, VISIT WWW.BYXAVIER.COM

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