Burundi 2023

In some contexts and historical eras an object can become more than a “material thing.” It can take on another dimension and “transcend the inanimate”.

In Burundi the bicycle is a lifelong companion, a member of the family and a part of the community. It can become your “walking store”, it can help you through tough times and transport you where you want to get you there on time… It’s a “faithful friend” that asks nothing in return except to be washed and sometimes repaired with a few simple spare parts.

For Burundians, the bicycle is a friend and a constant presence from birth until death. 
The love for an object that actually “is no longer an object” … but “has become alive.”