Prince Gyasi's 2024 Pirelli Calendar is out. This new prestigious edition of “Cal” is entitled “Timeless” and celebrates people who, according to the Ghanaian artist, have marked their time and are destined to inspire future generations.
“We are not born 'timeless', but we become so,” says Prince Gyasi, explaining that his subjects, photographed in the bright colors and sharp contrasts that made him famous, are for him “like superheroes.” .
Prince Gyasi is the last of 39 artists to have created a Pirelli Calendar. His work constitutes the 50th edition of the 60-year history of the Calendar, from 1964 to 2024. The Calendar website has been the subject of particular attention. It offers, in more than 90 countries and in 68 languages, photos, audio, videos and texts of the 2024 Pirelli Calendar.
Visitors to the site, after the initial sequence of an exploding watch, can take a journey through "Timeless", photo by photo, and explore the project through an interactive "guide" with behind-the-scenes photos, detailed content and information on the subject.
It is a refined approach intended to highlight the images - of which there are 24, or two per month - and on which Gyasi himself appears. This isn't the first time the Calendar's creators have appeared in the publication (rock star Bryan Adams photographed its 2022 Calendar and appeared in it), but it's the first time they've had their own dedicated month .
The Pirelli Calendar according to Prince Gyasi
When Prince Gyasi was approached for the 2024 Pirelli Calendar, he began by thinking about who he wanted to feature in it and what they meant to him, drawing on his own sense of West African community . As one of the youngest artists ever asked to take on the role of Cal, he had to go back to his childhood and think about the people who inspired him over his 28 years of existence.
The Calendar under the title “Time Stopper”
" I realized that it's not about being young or old, innovative or wise. What makes these icons who they are is elsewhere. It's their focus, their dedication, their passion . They never stop. They never give up,” he wrote.
In artist Gyasi's keen eye, the true essence of timelessness lies in perseverance and integrity. In his exploration of this notion, he looks at figures such as Naomi Campbell, who, although not part of his generation, remains an icon.
About the model Naomi Campbell, who appears in the Calendar under the title "Time Stopper", he says:
"When you look at people like Naomi, she's not from my generation, but she's still an icon. That's only possible if you're committed to your work and your beliefs."
For the Calendar, the Ghanaian artist transposed these ideas into a manifesto dedicated to “those who want to be timeless”. Its ultimate objective is to spark emulation, particularly among young people, by encouraging them to learn, to create, and to draw inspiration from this process. He expresses with hope:
“I want to make them understand that they can achieve everything they want if they commit to it with perseverance and consistency.”
The talents he chose for this project hold deep meaning for Gyasi, emphasizing:
“Some of them are friends, and I felt a family connection with them on set because of the bonds we shared.” Some are long-time companions, like supermodel Naomi Campbell, whom he captured in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2021, for the cover of Madame Figaro.
When he shared the snaps on social media, he called Campbell an "iconic fashion leader", marking his fifth appearance in a Pirelli Calendar .
Others, however, are new friends, such as Margot Lee Shetterly, author of "Shadow Figures", and the writer Amanda Gorman, whose poem "The Hill We Climb" resonated during the inauguration of US President Joe Biden in 2021. This harmonious blend of old and new connections highlights the diversity of sources of inspiration that help to forge the notion of timelessness in Gyasi's work.
A creative atmosphere in London and Ghana
Multiple Calendar models came together for an epic three-day photoshoot in London, punctuated by the talents of DJs Juls, JAE5, Tiffany Calver, and Mercedes Benson. This convergence created a festive atmosphere on set, reaching its peak during the latest shoot featuring Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress, Tiwa Savage, also known as the Queen of Afrobeats.
After a first shoot in London, Prince Gyasi deliberately opted for a second in his Ghanaian homeland in order to represent the cultural richness and natural resources of his country.
“Ghana is an exceptional land,” he explains. “It is the gateway to Africa, where we find an abundance of cocoa, gold, bauxite, oil...
I wanted to bring Pirelli there and unveil a new world through a Calendar that will last over time.”
It is in this place that His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II graced the setting with his royal delegation, adding a touch of grandeur to this artistic ensemble.
At the end of this photographic experience, Gyasi felt he had completed a significant chapter in his personal journey. The dynamic collaboration with long-time colleagues and new faces has resulted in the creation of art that is as dynamic as it is thought-provoking.
During the shoot in Ghana, the lens also fell on the contemporary artist of Ghanaian origin Amoako Boafo, the versatile American singer Teyana Taylor, who has also worked as an actress, dancer, model and choreographer, collaborating notably with Kanye West, as well as former professional footballer Marcel Desailly.
Born in Ghana and raised in France, Desailly made his mark playing for clubs such as AC Milan and Chelsea, capping his career with a World Cup victory in 1998 with the French national team.
From the heart to the goal
Gyasi carefully crafts each shot, crafting images that transcend mere photography to reach the status of a painterly work. Choosing each individual with meticulous attention, he develops the idea for his staging, draws it, then supervises the realization of the renderings and the construction of the set. Each set was designed by Gyasi to represent what makes each individual timeless to his eyes. “I know how I’m going to put the talent into my canvas,” he explains.
Everything is done in advance, he explains.
Equipped with a static camera mounted on a tripod, he freezes a scene, a composition that evokes as much an artistic piece as a photograph, all orchestrated by a creative team including stylist Ola-Oluwa Ebiti, hairdresser Issac Poleon, as well as as makeup artists Mata Marielle and Elizabeth Boateng.
It's more about the message and the art. You have to think about the image you want to obtain and the message you want to convey. It's a work of Art.
"When I look at the paintings of the 14th century, those of the Renaissance artists, I find that they mostly painted as if they had sneaked into places or spaces and photographed the subjects. Conversely, I photograph like a painter. I put all my energy into it."
Memorable compositions
Interviewed after the photoshoot, Ms. Shetterly said she enjoyed being part of an artist's vision.
“What I really love about Prince as the photographer for this Calendar is that he merges two things,” she said.
“He has this very specific view of blackness, of his African and African-American origins, that he tries to communicate, and yet his art and his images are very profound.
They are universal, accessible, visceral and aesthetically very appealing. You look at them and you feel drawn to these colors and images and people.”
The remarkable line-up of talent for the Pirelli Calendar 2024, ranging from His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, King of West Africa's historic Asante Empire, to Hollywood legend Angela Bassett, is a testament to the artist's vision Ghanaian visual Prince Gyasi, aged 28.
He is one of the youngest photographers to have photographed the iconic Cal, now in its 50th year, but he is already acclaimed around the world for his bold and vibrant work.
Here is the prestigious casting carefully selected by Prince Gyasi for this 50th edition of “Cal”:
Amoako Boafo – The Chosen One/The Chosen One
Angela Bassett – Altruistic/The Altruist
Margot Lee Shetterly & Amanda Gorman – The Blueprint/Le Plan d'Action
Young Prince – Studious/Le Studious
His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II – Royalty/La Royauté
Idris Elba – Man of Honor/L'Homme d'Honneur
Jeymes Samuel – Visionary/Le Visionnaire
Marcel Desailly – Focus/Le Concentré
Naomi Campbell – Time Stopper
Prince Gyasi – Details/Les Détails
Tiwa Savage – Resilience
Teyana Taylor – Future Forward/L’Avenir
A work of visual art to discover urgently !
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