The Ghanaian-born and based visual artist Prince Gyasi is to photograph the 2024 Pirelli Calendar, an eagerly anticipated annual publication known as “The Cal,” renowned for showcasing both featured talent and creative vision of the photographer behind the lens.
Established in 1964, the Pirelli Calendar is published by the U.K. subsidiary of the Italian tire manufacturing company Pirelli. Over the years, the calendar has gained a reputation for its selection of photographers and models, featuring glamour photography from the 1980s until the 2010s.
For the 2024 edition, the task of crafting the calendar has been entrusted to the self-taught Ghanaian photographer Prince Gyasi. Gyasi will be the 40th photographer to shoot the Calendar and among the youngest. He follows previous Calendar photographers including Norman Parkinson, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton, Peter Beard, Mario Testino and Patrick Demarchelier.
Gyasi describes himself as a visual artist who, after getting an iPhone at the age of 16, started exploring photography more freely. Prior to that, he had a love for utilizing a disposable camera while still a little child.
Despite his young age of 27, Gyasi has already made a name for himself in the photography world. In his practice, he employs bold colours and contrast. His images tell visual stories that capture the atmosphere and vibrancy of his community and generation while aiming to challenge traditional narratives about Africa, elitism in art and western-centered ideals of beauty. He has exhibited his work in countries such as Japan, Brazil, and France. His has collaborated with prominent brands like Apple, Converse, and Balmain, showcasing his eclectic tastes. Gyasi’s impressive body of work can be found in esteemed contemporary art collections such as Jean Pigozzi’s and the Pinault Foundation, further solidifying his status as a rising talent in the art world.
The striking and vivid images captured by Gyasi are influenced by his personal experience with synesthesia, a neurological condition that allows him to perceive colors in multisensory ways. Synesthesia can manifest as associating colors with hearing, smell, taste, pain, or even numbers, letters, and words. In Gyasi’s case, Wednesday is associated with the color aquamarine, according to pre-release press material.
Prince Gyasi has stated that a portion of the project would be located in his home country, underscoring the value of representation and culture to him. He has expressed his honor at being selected for this distinguished role.
