This personal project by Joshua Kissi takes a special look at the burgeoning bodybuilding scene in Ghana. The influential New York-based photographer and creative director recently travelled to his family’s home city of Accra where he captured the beauty of Akan culture through this series of warm and emotive portraits, shared exclusively with Nataal.

“Sika Futuro literally translates as Gold Dust in Twi,” Kissi explains. “The body builders in these images wear traditional gold adornments, which all contain symbolic meanings particular to each piece, and the royal and sacred kente cloth.”

This series is also an exploration and celebration of manhood, Kissi adds: “Bodybuilding is much more than size and brute strength; it can also be seen as a form of art. We marvel at the idea of Michelangelo’s Renaissance sculpture David. Likewise sculpting one’s body can be seen as a combination of practice and experimentation in art form.”

Photography Joshua Kissi
Styling Nana Kwasi Wiafe

Published on 19/09/2019