I am a photographer, film director and creative director based between London and Accra, Ghana. At the age of 17 I moved from my hometown in Latvia to London where I studied Photography at the LCC and later received scholarship to study Masters in Photography at the Royal College of Art.
I moved to Ghana in 2015 and since then have been creating work across the continent. Living in different parts of the world have immersed me in different cultures and helped to shape my character and creative vision.
In my photographic works I explore social and environmental issues, global migration, shifting cultures and identities. In Accra I am part of a creative collective called Afrodistrict that aims at breaking stereotypes and changing perceptions of Africa through visual storytelling.
My photographic works have been published in The New York Times, The National Geographic, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Aljazeera English etc. Recently I have directed, written and produced my debut short film called “Spirits We Dance” that received international recognition and multiple film awards.
Currently I am based in London and work as a freelance photographer and filmmaker for various media outlets and international NGO’s.
Projects
- SPIRITS WE DANCESpirits We Dance is a poetic journey of two contemporary dancers as they show us what life is like being a disabled dancer in a harsh, urban landscape of Accra. In a tale of friendship between Afriyie and Alfred and a tale of love a mother and daughter, Spirits We Dance takes viewers into an imaginative and surreal mindscape. A world sublime and yet childlike in its beauty, it is created by the characters to escape the pain of reality. Connecting with their spiritual side when they dance, they
- T- MICHAEL//NORWEGIAN RAINT-MICHAEL is a bespoke tailor/ designer /artist with a conceptual approach to men’s tailoring inspired by his love of sartorial traditions and his passionate quest for a different narrative within tailoring, design and creativity, to celebrate stylistic and cultural diversities present in today's zeitgeist.
- THE LIFE OF THE KAYAYEISince the 80s teenage girls have been migrating from Ghana’s northern regions to the capital Accra in search of employment opportunities to escape poverty, early marriage, and conflict in their villages. Many of these young women have no formal education and on their arrival to Accra often end up working as kayayei (female head porters). For long hours in the sweltering heat, the kayayei carry goods on their heads through Accra’s busy markets for as little as few dollars a day. It is estimated t
- AFRODISTRICT X AFROGALLONISM X ART COMES FIRSTThis project is a collaboration between the art collective AFRODISTRICT, Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey who uses recycled materials in his work and a fashion duet Art Come First - punk tailors who have been redefining norms and pushing boundaries in the fashion world. For these series Serge Attukwei Clottey has created masks from old baseball gloves which Afrodistrict incorporated into the idea of identity and belonging. " In this project we question our identities as Africans, whether
- REVIVAL STUDIOThe Revival Photo Studio was created in collaboration with The Revival.Earth sustainable design initiative that upcycle textile waste in Ghana into fashionable and creative outfits. I wanted to reflect the upcycling theme of the event and created a backdrop from the clothes sacks and added some vintage props.
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Work history
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Documentary Photographer and JournalistWomen Photograph
London, United KingdomFreelance
A
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PhotojournalistAFP Press Agency
GhanaFreelance
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Skills
- Photography
- Photojournalism
- Documentaries
- Creative Art Direction
- Photo Editing
Education
MA PhotographyRoyal College of Art
- London, United Kingdom
BA PhotographyLondon College of Communication, UAL
- London, United Kingdom
Awards
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Award of Excellence Women FilmmakersBest Shorts Competition
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M
Best DirectorMontreal Indie Short Film Awards
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