photography

The Crimson Coyote podcast welcomes Photographer and Poet MIMI MUTESA to Episode #5!

Mimi Mutesa (she/her) is a photographer at heart and has had work published in Elle UK and AfroPunk, to name a few. Mimi grew up in Uganda, but by the time she graduated with a bachelor’s in Film production and Media, she added Kenya, Congo, Zimbabwe and China to the list of countries she’d lived in. She now works in journalism in Washington, DC where she finds poetry a safe haven from ceaseless news cycles. Her biggest guilty pleasure is sunbathing, and she wants you to know it.

Toni Cade Bambara once said, “The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.” Mimi Mutesa echoes this sentiment in her often-joyful photography, which challenges the “trauma porn” disseminated by the media. We are living in a time where the circulation of distressing images is pervasive, and the bulk of this content typically depicts the suffering of black and brown people. Mimi’s vibrant, laughter-filled images offer an alternative to the constant consumption of pain we have become accustomed to.

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The Crimson Coyote · #5 Mimi Mutesa

One benefit of Airbnb is that it can connect you to fascinating people you would have otherwise probably not have met.

During my time in Berlin, Germany, I had the privilege of staying at Il Faro Blu in Kreuzberg. My host was a lovely Italian woman, Lisa Santarelli, Fine Art Photographer and artist. We had long, intimate conversations about creativity and health, and we shared our mutual love for David Lynch. During the evenings, she sat quietly, painting beautiful watercolors.

Here are a few images of her marvelous space taken on my phone:

I couldn’t get over how much heart was etched into every inch of her home; it was like a mini-museum! There were leafy plants, Italian words written in crayon on the walls, analog photographs everywhere, art books, old furniture, and antique ornaments. I lost myself in the flood of details that reflect Lisa’s artistry and spirit.

Below are some of her stunning photographs. She instantly became one of my favorite photographers, and I purchased one of her photo books along with a print.

She also published a gorgeous photo book set that makes me swoon!

Needless to say, I can’t wait to go back!