Since his early childhood, as a synesthetic artist, words evoke saturated colors for him, and Ghana, his country of origin, provides him with an endless source of inspiration. Self-taught, Prince Gyasi has made a name for himself with his positive and colorful vision of African culture immortalized on his smartphone. On the occasion of Art Basel, he is at the heart of a unique exhibition, from October 22 to December 1, 2025, at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme hotel.
Don’t call him a mere photographer. Prince Gyasi, 30, claims to be an artist in his own right. His work draws inspiration from his childhood in Accra, the capital of Ghana, where he still lives, but also from his unparalleled mastery of the Apple iPhone. With his smartphone, he delivers images that are as striking as they are poetic, offering a different vision of Africa, one that is optimistic and luminous, far from the Western-centric image of pathos and misery that still too often clings to the rainbow continent.
His works are part of some of the most prestigious contemporary art collections in the world, notably those of Jean Pigozzi and the François Pinault Foundation (Palais de la Bourse, Paris). He exhibited at the 2022 edition of the Kyotographie photography festival in Kyoto, Japan, and also took part in group exhibitions at the Museo de Arte do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and the Pôle d’art contemporain in Cannes in 2022. A lecturer at Oxford University and the Skoll World Forum 2019, he has collaborated with various brands such as Apple, Converse, Balmain, Off-White, Madame Figaro, Vanity Fair, and GQ America.
Until December 1, Prince Gyasi, represented by MAAT Gallery in the City of Light, is the subject of a monographic exhibition at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme hotel, bringing together some of his most iconic works since his debut, as well as previously unseen photographs unveiled for the first time in Paris.
Photography at 16
Born in 1995 in Accra, Ghana, Prince Gyasi is a visual artist who discovered photography on his own at the age of 16. The year was 2011, and the iPhone had only been on the market for four years. The high school artist embraced this smartphone revolution in 2014 with his first Apple model. His first subjects were his friends, his family, and even models from his hometown.
His unique work on the iPhone allowed him to stand out and democratize artistic practice, far from the elitist aspect of art and photography. “I like to remind people that art is not about the tool in your hands, but a clear message that comes from within,” he told Time Magazine.
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Featured photo: © Courtesy of Prince Gyasi and Armand Dasilva
