Changing myths. If once the Pirelli calendar was the bible of female beauty (and sensuality), today in times of me too and of protest against patriarchal society that world is consigned to history and The Cal takes on inclusive messages and social battles.
And for 2024, an African-American photographer was called to shoot for the first time, Prince Gyasi, originally from Ghana, 28 years old, a wizard of Instagram images. For him an all black cast with the participation of Naomi Campbell, who only with her presence gives meaning to the title of the work: Timeless.
Practically an oxymoron when the object on which you practice your art is an object that marks the passing of the days.
“Naomi is 53 and still moves as if she were 20 because she doesn’t think about time,” explains Gyasi. And in fact the years do not seem to want to leave a trace on the smooth skin of this icon who is on his fifth Pirelli calendar, “used” this time to affirm a correct narrative of Africa and African Americans.
«The rest of the world has such a false perception of the African continent… For me it is important to change mentalities, to open people’s eyes to the incredible culture, vitality and creativity of this continent».
Together with the super top model in the cast also the poet Amanda Gorman (she read one of her poems at Biden’s inauguration in the White House), the actors Angela Bassett and Idris Elba, the singer Tiwa Savage, the contemporary Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo, the footballer Marcel Desailly, the writer Margot Lee Shetterly (her best-seller “The Right to Count”), the music producer James Samuel and also His Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, king of the Ashanti in Ghana.
«It’s as if they were superheroes», explains the artist. “They don’t care how many days, months or weeks each year has. It’s all about them, what their goals are and how they’re going to make them work.”
Gyasi chose to shoot in London and Ghana to raise awareness of the culture and natural resources of his country. «Ghana – he explains – is a special land. It is the gateway to Africa where you can find everything: cocoa, gold, bauxite, oil… I wanted to bring Pirelli there to introduce a new world through a Calendar that will remain forever, perhaps creating new possibilities for development. After Botswana, where the 2008 Pirelli Calendar was created, it is nice to go to another African country, discover its culture and meet the local people. It is the most peaceful country in Africa. I think it’s a special place and you will feel the energy when you go there. It was very stimulating to do a shooting on site and make people understand better how the country works.”
In short, Africa is the protagonist, and also on the horizon of Marco Tronchetti Provera, and vice president of Pirelli: «Africa will have 2 and a half billion inhabitants in a few years, it is on our doorstep and not thinking about building something together is wrong. And even if we don’t have any specific projects yet, we are following the development of the markets as always.”
With this, 2024, we are at the 60th Pirelli calendar, a tradition that began in 1964 with Robert Freeman, then known above all for his images of the Beatles, and subsequently with Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz, Patrick Demarchelier and many other big names in photography .
Prince Gyasi is the first black photographer to do so, although for him the more correct definition would be that of visaul artist given that his “CV” starts from a smartphone. He took photographs of young people in the run-down neighborhood of Jamestown where his mother was born and where today the artist has founded a non-profit organization, Boxed Kids, for the education of children.
A 2018 iPhone shot featuring actress Michaela Coel went viral on social media, launching her career. In 2019 he portrayed the Nigerian singer Burna Boy for GQ, followed by a collaboration with Virgil Abloh and Off White and a 2021 cover story with Naomi Campbell for Madame Figaro. Since then, his works have been exhibited at international art fairs and François Pinault is also among the collectors.
A black anthem, with an all-African cast led by Naomi Campbell to question Western ideals not only of beauty.
Africa is back.