Mark Tinega

Photographer & Videographer

2018 — Present

-Pictures are the closest thing we have to time travel-

Bio

Born in Nyeri, raised in Nakuru and currently living in Nairobi, Mark Tinega is an avant-garde creative and visual artist. With a Diploma in Information Technology from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and currently pursuing a Bsc in Film Production and Directing at the United States International University-Africa, Tinega bears immense understanding of the mechanics involved in creating and producing striking visuals. His extensive exposure to multiple cultures and scenery as well as his keen eye for aesthetic imagery, combined with his able editing hand, allow him to capture eccentric imagery, as well as fine-tune them to fit and sufficiently bring his visualization to life. The optical artistry he encapsulates is a fresh breath of air, and with it he aims to transform the scope of Nairobi’s creative and storytelling scene.

Approach

Heavily inspired by classic films and retro technology as well as renown film photography works like those of Malick Sidibé, Tinega aims to create a blend between the world we currently live in and the timeless beauty and nostalgia of vintage cinema and retrograde media. Be it capturing moments in time, or motion in a space, he bears an affinity to the emulation of film as well as cinema, and employs the use of texturing to capture and bring out the soulful aspect of grainy analog film, which aims to evoke a sense of compelling nostalgic charm as well as giving an authentic quality to his visuals. His creative approach not only captures the beauty in every detail, but also documents moments and conveys profound sentiments, making each creation a lasting work of art.

Body of works:

Personal Projects

Jamhuri

Our independence in 1963 came with new ideas for development and design, but with those new ideas came the need to preserve our own cultural heritage as well. Jamhuri Estate, constructed in the late 1960s, is one of those historical relics that has maintained the look and feel of what life was like in our country’s yesteryears, and the beauty in that maintenance is magical and very reminding to the battle our forefathers fought in order to give us the independence we enjoy at the present.

‘Gari Jekundu’

Jamhuri, 2022

‘Vumbi’

Jamhuri, 2022

‘Jumba na Anga’

Jamhuri, 2022

‘Madirisha’

Jamhuri, 2022

Institutionalised

Broken as we believe our educational systems are, the ability to extract value from these very halls we walk in is immeasurable. Many an individual has emerged from the same broken systems we’ve gone through and still gone on to achieve excellence, who are we not to go on and do the same?

Institutionalised,

JKUAT, 2022

‘These Walls’

Institutionalised, 2022

‘Blue And Pink’

Institutionalised,

2022

‘Building Blocks’

Institutionalised,

2022

Lost Boy

We all know that feeling; who am I, what am I really doing here, and where am I going? These thoughts often plague our minds, and yet nobody else can answer that except for ourselves. In truth, there is no finite answer to them, we are but blank canvases that gain a new splash of paint by virtue of every encounter we have with other people and with every experience that we go through, and in that very lack of definition lies an answer to those questions.

‘By The Lakeside’

Lost Boy,

Nakuru, 2020

‘Against The Sun’

Lost Boy,

2020

‘Perched’

Lost Boy,

2020

‘In The Hills’

Lost Boy,

2020

Off The Record

Music is magical. It is a universal language that transcends cultures, and it contains the ability to invoke emotions and sensations within you without physical contact. Vinyl records and cassette tapes are the first physical encapsulation of music, and their timelessness is alluring. There is something about placing a vinyl disk on a player and hearing the record scratch, that analog feeling, that you just don’t get from modern forms of music playback.

‘Off The Record’

Melodica, 2023

‘Record Scratch’

Off The Record,

2023

‘Tapes’

Off The Record,

2023

‘Fantamorgana’

Off The Record,

2023

Jua La Tua; Mwezi Mpevu

The setting sun and the rising moon. Signifying the end of the day and the relentless approach of night, these two symbols are reminders of the constant marching on of time. A phenomenon that cannot be escaped by anyone; it is the one fair governing rule we abide by as humans, that no matter where we come from, we recognise that in the same way we came to exist and be full of life, we will one day cease to walk the earth.

‘Mwezi Mpevu’

Ruiru, 2022

‘Mwanga’

Jua La Tua.

2022

‘Alamsiki’

Jua La Tua,

2022

‘Njoo Nami’

Jua La Tua,

2022

‘Sala’

Mwezi Mpevu,

2022

‘Luna’

Mwezi Mpevu,

2022

‘Aheri’

Mwezi Mpevu,

2022

7AM On Lumumba Drive

Friends and the conversations we have, be it late at night or early in the morning. Those talks that shape our outlook on life, help us get through tough situations and appreciate those little mundane moments, and the subtle perfection that they encompass.

7AM On Lumumba Drive,

2024

‘Slant’

7AM On Lumumba Drive,

2024

‘Sunny’

7AM On Lumumba Drive,

2024

‘Stairways’

7AM On Lumumba Drive,

2024

Body of works:

2. Collaborations

Neatgarms

Neatgarms is a lifestyle ensemble, and with consistency has transitioned into one of the most influential fashion brands in Nairobi. As the current visual director in charge of Neatgarms’ photography and videography, my aim is to blend artistic vigor with fashion in order to produce unique and visually appealing fashion editorials.

Poster for Acid Wash x Crop-Tees Drop,

Spring 2024

Acid Wash Tees,

Spring 2024

Acid Wash Tees,

Spring 2024

Crop-Tees,

Spring 2024

Lil Baby Tee,

Fall 2023

Lil Baby Tee x Neat Pants,

Fall 2023

Future Milf Top,

Summer 2023

The Magic Behind Neat,

Spring 2023

Forever Neat,

Summer 2023

Neat Collective,

Fall 2023

Meet Me

MeetMe Kenya is a community-based collective, keen on bringing artists closer to their audience.

Meet Me At The Garden,

4th September 2022

‘Michatha’

Meet Me At The Garden,

2022

‘Keys And Strings’

Meet Me At The Garden,

2022

‘Revellers’

Meet Me At The Garden,

2022

‘Dancefloor’

Meet Me Festival,

2023

‘Off The Wall’

Meet Me Festival,

2023

‘Revellers 2’

Meet Me Festival,

2023

Reclaim And Rebirth

This is a poetic celebration of female empowerment and self discovery. It captures the journey of women reclaiming their autonomy and challenging the societal norms that confine them. For this project I was brought onto the team by creative director Jahari Michelle as the primary photographer and editor.