For the past 50 years, the Pirelli Calendar has spotlighted the most prominent voices and faces in fashion and the arts – with cultural figures like Bella Hadid, Julianne Moore and Serena Williams starring in various renditions of the yearly release.
But as Fashionista reports, the 2024 edition is particularly significant: In addition to the prestigious calendar’s 50th anniversary, it also marks 25 years of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s reign over the Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana, Africa – the home of this edition’s photographer, Prince Gyasi.
The images were shot across London and Ghana, starring muses Naomi Campbell, Angela Bassett, Idris Elba, Teyana Taylor, Amanda Gorman and more. “Naomi is my big sister. Idris is a big brother of mine — all of these people are like family,” Gyasi tells Fashionista. “It was genuine for me to have them and collaborate with them.”
Throughout the calendar, muses are seen holding keys, surrounded by clocks and other time-related elements. Gyasi cast icons like Campbell and Bassett expressly to showcase them as “relatable superheroes” and “time stoppers.”
“They have opened so many doors to a lot of people. Some of them represent focus and consistency — even royalty. When I was thinking about concepts, I had to find an alternative way to visually represent those titles, words and personalities,” says Gyasi. “For example, Naomi is holding the hands of the clock, representing authority over time. Meanwhile, Bassett has a key — she has the key to success and to opportunities in her industry and in the world. Everyone [in the cast] inspires me to become the best version of myself.”
The 28-year-old artist has become well known for his visually breathtaking photos. His use of bright, vibrant colors and the consistent choice to create a stark contrast between the foreground and background isn’t a result of the average creative process, however. Gyasi’s unique perspective often comes from his synesthesia — an involuntary perception where one sense (i.e. hearing a name) is experienced through another sense (i.e. seeing a color).
“I didn’t rely on my synesthesia for every concept, but many times I would pay attention to how I felt when I saw [members of the cast],” he explains. “Sometimes I would just hear their names and ask myself, ‘What do I see? Do I see purple? Do I see a shape?’ Using my synesthesia as a tool helps to create a whole piece and create a completely different reality.”
Aside from his creative process, Gyasi hopes that his version of the Pirelli Calendar has a lasting impact on people – particularly younger generations. “It’s easy to say Pirelli is prestigious — yes, it is,” says Gyasi. “But do you want the calendar to just be prestigious and not impact anybody? At the end of the day, I need to make sure that this project is helping to inspire some other kid somewhere who wants to be in a position like I am in.”
Being able to energize the youth is critical in Gyasi’s mission. For one image, Gyasi ends up in front of the camera, standing next to a young boy depicting a younger version of himself — a visual representation of Gyasi leading the way for other young artists to follow in his footsteps. Shooting part of the calendar in Ghana, he says, played a major role in executing that message.
“It was really important for me to [shoot in Ghana] because it’s always beautiful to bring something back home. I’m not the first to do a big production there, but it’s also very important to show people that you can do anything there,” says Gyasi. “Ghana is freedom. It’s very peaceful, very calm.”
The full 2024 Pirelli Calendar by Prince Gyasi will be revealed later this year in November.
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Photo Credit: Denis Makarenko / Shutterstock.com