DANIEL OBASI - A SPACE BETWEEN DIGNITY AND DEFIANCE.
“BEAUTIFUL RESISTANCE” FASHION EYE LAGOS - the first book by Daniel Obasi - published by Louis Vuitton.
RED HOT - No.32 in the ‘FASHION EYE’ series published by Louis Vuitton. LAGOS by Daniel Obasi is edited by Patrick Rémy.
The concept for this brilliant series is exactly what the title implies - one location seen through the lens of one image maker published by Louis Vuitton - The Maison synonymous with voyages of discovery - and a beautiful document emerges - an offering for an audience hungry for images and nostalgic for adventure. And so a library of volumes grows like dots on an ever-expansive map. 32 to date including Peter Lindbergh’s Berlin, Harley Weir’s Iran, Saul Leiter’s New York - Sarah Moon even captures The Orient Express - proving the journey can be as memorable as the destination.
Each are presented in line with the Vuitton knowledge of excellence - silkscreen-printed, cloth bound, equal in size and format - rendered in a double shade colour mix - like a pleated case from an Haute Chocolatier. A delicate inlaid image in gloss on the cover - like a travel sticker souvenir - depicting a moment - within the silent movie of stills within.
Daniel Obasi, the Lagos wunderkind is an exciting choice as a visual tour guide and ambassador for the Nigerian city. Obasi is fast emerging as a powerful voice within fashion image, as a photographer, a stylist, and figurehead for New Nigeria. An excellent choice for the ‘fashion eye’ series - ‘Lagos’ is the first tome of the image maker’s work.
Obasi’s vision is pure haute couture in photographic form - there are outfits of grand and imposing proportions, the hair, the hats, and makeup to match - and locations which contrast and contradict to surreal effect, like Blumenfeld, Walker even a little LaChapelle, he likes to shoot fashion with a capital F. But then he catches you out with the vulnerability of that rare, absent friend of fashion - truth. A golden-being breaking through the opaque waves of a swimming pool, like an angel caught in flight - or a lone figure, naked and defiant - waving an enormous national flag looking down on a city below.
Obasi has an innate understanding and appreciation of silhouette and composition which set him apart - he has a holistic impaitent vision. His pictures actually have something to say rather than a mass of general tick boxes, which arguably so many of current fashion images follow. How good intentions can so often lead to visual confusion. Obasi, in contrast, seems defiant and clear with what he wants to bring to the table, and what he wants to discuss - he cares about being Nigerian and he cares about the state of his country and culture - and he is using his voice - which breaks through the passive noise of modern fashion editoral like a warning light - seen on the horizon.
‘My love and gratitude goes to my family, my friends, and to every young queer Nigerian who hasn’t forgotten how to dream. In memory of the #EndSARS protestors who were murdered on October 20, 2020. We will never forget’. Daniel Obasi
Special thanks: Clara Mrejen at Louis Vuitton Paris.