University News Last updated 20 August
A BCU Photography alumnus is set to host his debut solo exhibition at a London gallery later this month.
British-Malawian photographer Gift JR Gwambe, who graduated in 2017, is presenting ‘BOHBOH: A Familiar Stranger’ at Copeland Gallery in Peckham from 27 August until 1 September 2025.
Centred around his first return to Malawi in 2016 during his final-year studies, the exhibition, which is sponsored by BCU, captures the complexity of reconnecting with family and accepting how his perspective has changed after years away from where he grew up.
He said: “The images in the exhibition are from when I travelled back to my home country of Malawi and includes interactions with my family in the village where I lived until I was seven years old.
“It was my first time in Malawi in many years, so the exhibition is an exploration of how my eyes have grown, what it’s like to go back to where you grew up with an older perspective, and how I see Malawi now after living in the UK for so long.
“One of the main shots is of a waYao tribe member*. From a young age in my village, the children are told that if they’re naughty, the tribe will come and take them away! Going back as an adult and seeing them as performers was fascinating, so that combined with interactions with my family, is the basis of the exhibition.”
Gift, who moved to Coventry after leaving Malawi when he was seven, before studying at BCU and eventually moving to London in 2019, has always dreamed of exhibiting the photos he took nine years ago.
He said: “It does feel surreal that this is my debut solo exhibition. I’ve always known that I wanted to, one day, have them displayed in a gallery, so it’s incredible that it’s finally happening.
“This exhibition feels personal to me. My other photography work has been editorial, so to be able to put my focus on something more creative which really means something to me has been so special.”
The graduate’s other work has included editorial and commercial photography across major fashion brands, including NET-A-PORTA, Ted Baker, Hunter Boots and Juicy Couture. But his career so far has been anything but straightforward.
He said: “My career so far has included so many ups and downs, and a lot of learning curves. I was fortunate to land a job at a creative agency after graduating, and I worked my way up the ranks, before deciding to go freelance in 2024.
“Since being freelance, I’ve learned so much about myself and the work I do. So far, it’s been a journey of real fun and huge challenges.”
Gift chose to study at BCU as the Photography degree gave him the opportunity to combine his passion for fashion with his interest in imagery and documentaries. He now has invaluable advice to the photography students following in his footsteps.
He said: “I was always creative growing up, and when I was considering my options for university, platforms like Instagram were becoming huge, and it gave me the opportunity to create images and videos and share them with my followers.
“My cousins were dancers, so I used to spend a lot of time recording them and taking photos of them, and I loved capturing moments. I also loved fashion, but I knew that I didn’t want to create fashion as such, I wanted to celebrate it through images, so it made sense to do a photography degree.
“My advice to current Photography students is to get out there and take photos of any ideas you have, because you learn so much through trial and error, and it’s where you find your feet too. Once you know what you’re good at and what you enjoy capturing, you’ll find the best route for you.”
BOHBOH: A Familiar Stranger takes place at Copeland Gallery from 27 August – 1 September. Find out more.
*The Yao people are a Bantu ethnic group. The Yao are a predominantly Muslim-faith group of about two million, who are based in Malawi and the north of Mozambique.