Meet Prince Gyasi, a 26-year-old Ghanaian visual artist who's turning heads with his innovative take on color and perception. With a distinctive style that blurs the lines between painting and photography, Gyasi uses digital manipulation to amplify or alter colors, creating a vivid world out of everyday scenes in his hometown of Accra.
Starting his photography journey with a trusty old BlackBerry in high school, Gyasi quickly moved on to the iPhone when he saved up enough money in 2012. Though he now uses a variety of camera equipment for different projects, he still has a soft spot for iPhone snaps—like this one of a man on a tennis court.
"It's not about the tools, it's about your ideas. It's about the story you want to tell," Gyasi said.
Color Therapy
For Gyasi, who struggles with synesthesia, adding emotional experiences to images through color is a natural part of his process. This neurological condition often results in unconventional cross-sensory mingling, like experiencing colors as tones or associating them with specific words or letters. Gyasi's synesthesia grants him a personal color code, transforming his work into rich, layered narratives.
"When I make a project about 'Hope,' I already know I'll associate 'Hope' with pink, so I think about how to integrate that color into the piece to give it meaning," he explained.
Gyasi's focus on color interaction and our emotional connection to it resulted in him coining the term "color therapy" for his work, aiming to generate positive emotions in viewers, even when the featured subject might not seem cheerful at first glance.
"Even if you don't see laughter in the subject matter, you still feel joy and happiness—it brings this good energy," he said.
Career Breakthrough
A major turning point in Gyasi's career came in 2018 during a photo shoot with British actress Michaela Coel on an iPhone. Gyasi described the experience as a launching pad, helping him broaden his audience and eventually collaborating with names like Virgil Abloh.
Making Waves for Empowerment
Gyasi's increased platform also allowed him to pour more attention into his non-profit organization, Boxed Kids, which works in one of Accra's poorest districts, Jamestown. Using his own experiences growing up in Jamestown and witnessing his mother's struggle, he's committed to breaking the cycle of poverty for children in the area by promoting education.
Creating stories about young people in Ghana is at the heart of Gyasi's work. He hopes to change the narrative, inspiring and shaping greater opportunities for them.
Explosive Interest in African Artists
Gyasi's popularity skyrocketed in 2020, with the demand for his work on Artsy, the world's largest online marketplace for art, more than doubling. Gyasi moved up Artsy's list of popular photographers from 54 to 2 during that year. Artsy's Chief Marketing Officer Everette Taylor attributes this surge to the "explosion" of interest in contemporary African artists, citing Ghanian artist Amoako Boafo as an example.
The new digital landscape is making it easier for promising artists like Gyasi to reach global audiences, democratizing the art world and creating a new environment for collectors to discover and invest in lesser-known talent.
All Bets on the Future
Despite his rising fame, Gyasi remains grounded and dedicated to his craft. He approaches each day with a fresh mindset, eager to push himself further. Continuing his collaborations with designers like Virgil Abloh and venturing into more creative realms, such as film and music, Gyasi continues to shape his unique artistic universe.
[1] Cynthia Barnes. "Meet Prince Gyasi, the Ghanaian photographer blowing up on Instagram." December 7, 2020 [3] Sam Wood. "A Surprising Wave of Interest for African Art." April 24, 2020 [5] Orla O'Dwyer. "Expert Insights on the Most Popular Artists, Art Trends & Collectors' Buying Preferences." April 5, 2021
