“It’s about empowering Black people. That’s what my mission has always been.”
—Prince Gyasi
28-year-old Ghana-born artist Prince Gyasi (b.1995) creates hyper-colourful, hopeful images that tell the stories of marginalised individuals from his hometown of Accra. Gyasi has synaesthesia, a neurological condition that causes him to associate words and numbers with colours. His unique colour sensibilities are reflected in Limitless – the vibrant pinks, jewel blues and dramatic oranges imbue this work with an otherworldly quality. ‘I document the culture with the use of colour to show people the other side of Ghana that people don’t see,’ notes the artist. Limitless represents a continuation of The Arrival, which set his world auction record last year. We see the same protagonist, a once struggling fisherman in Jamestown, who is poised to launch a huge paper plane over a turquoise river, against a dreamlike sunset.
Gyasi is also the co-founder of the non-profit organisation Boxed Kids, which helps to provide education for children in Accra. The self-taught visual artist has collaborated with numerous high-profile brands, including Apple, Off-White and Balmain, and his editorial features include a March 2021 cover of Madame Figaro with Naomi Campbell. His work has been exhibited internationally, notably Prince Gyasi: The Truth of Color at Kyotographie International Photography Festival in Kyoto (2022). This year, he has been named as one of the ‘Next Generation Leaders’ by TIME and has made history as the first black photographer to shoot The Pirelli Calendar.