British-Nigerian photographer and filmmaker Gabriel Moses has worked with Avant Arte to release two time-limited prints from his Regina series. Entirely self taught, the South London native is globally recognized for his powerful, yet tender portraits of largely Black subjects, which explores themes related to memory and identity.
He first landed on the scene through his documentation of his friends playing football, and has quickly shown a meteoric rise between the world of editorial and fine art, hosting an exhibition at 180 Studios, working alongside Places+Faces and BYREDO to modeling for Aimé Leon Dore.
Moses' upcoming print release is dedicated to the women who have shaped and continue to shape the world. As a child, the artist's mother, grandmother and sister are cited as major influences on his work, the latter figure having introduced Moses to fashion editorials. Set against a dimly lit background, Lea showcases a pregnant women (model Judith Onah) in a transparent white dress with a rifle perched over her shoulder to show to be a guardian over her child.
"My mum took it on herself to be a protector," said Moses. "It’s all I’ve known, to be around someone who raised me but has also protected me from a lot of nonsense. I wanted to push that with my photos – what motherhood means to me, and what it means to other people. It’s not just my story, it’s a universal story."
Monica, modeled by Adit Ajhok Deng, has her back turned away from the camera, as the figure and her hair largely blends in with the darkened red and black background. The composition is contemplative in its mystery, simultaneously evoking a sense of strength and independence through Deng's posture.
For collectors looking to purchase, both Lea and Monica retail for $383 USD and will release for 24 hours on July 9 at 9am ET. Each C-Type print sizes at 12 x 15.7 inches (unframed) on 246gsm Fuji Gloss paper, and comes signed and numbered on the back by the artist.
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
