I have to thank the mystery of Google’s algorithm for making me discover Prince Gyasi.

While researching photographers to feature, I stumbled upon his website. His images stopped me dead in my track, their beauty and power not to be ignored.

Prince Gyasi’s colors are vivid and, at times, hallucinatory. Their vibrancy borders on psychotic. His subjects are at the heart of his compositions; few props or outside elements are used — it’s all about the person in the shot.

The darkness of their skin is unapologetically beautiful. It sometimes is so dark that you can’t see features or details, and the subject becomes a black silhouette against an aggressively colorful background.

People’s faces are often hidden, an artifice that helps transform individuals into representations. Here’s a woman, to represent all women; here’s a child, to represent all children…

 

3 African men holding blue blankets against an orange background

Prince Gyasi lives in Accra, Ghana’s capital. I don’t know how he got “discovered” by the western art world, but the Nil Gallery in Paris signed him in 2018. Since then, he rose to superstar status, shooting major campaigns for Apple, collaborating with fashion brand Off-White, and photographing supermodel Naomi Campbell.

What I love is that, despite his international success, he stays anchored in Africa and most of his recent high-profile projects have been made there.

Two black men in white tshirts, their head covered with white fabric, standing in front of a blue wall

Prince Gyasi is barely 30 and shoots with a cell phone (!!), proof yet again that talent has nothing to do with experience or equipment.

I’m blown away by this work. What do you think?

 

© Prince Gyasi

Disclaimer: Aurelie’s Gallery does not represent Prince Gyasi. My “Photographers I love” series is purely for inspiration and to encourage discussion.