Description
OD Photo Prize 2025 | Runner Up
Sarfo Emmanuel [b.2002, Ghana] is a young visual artist who uses colour to share the stories and dreams of young people from his hometown, Koforidua. At the confluence of portrait and documentary photography, he uses his smartphone/camera to revive the art of portraiture by capturing colourful images of the local youth, translating the dynamic story of contemporary Africa. He hopes his work can tell a beautiful African story while providing therapy for his audience. In his own words: “I use colour as a language for emotions. I use these vibrant colours in my works to act as a colour therapy for myself and hopefully for my audience too.
Artist Statement | Youthful Spirits is a photography series that captures the lives, dreams, and resilience of African children, especially young girls. Through powerful portraits, it explores themes of unity, identity, and social inequality, using a continuous rope as a visual metaphor. This line connects the children, symbolizing shared humanity, community, and relationships, while also representing the constraints they may face. The series challenges stereotypes, celebrates African beauty and spirit, and aims to inspire global empathy by portraying youth not just as subjects, but as symbols of hope and a more equitable future.
“This artwork captures the nuanced relationship between generations. The two figures represent different stages of life, bound together yet facing different directions. The younger one holds the rope tightly, looking towards a future unknown, while the elder holds it loosely, symbolizing wisdom tempered with freedom. The green background speaks to growth, while the blue rope remains a constant line of connection, heritage, and shared journey-a reminder that even as each generation moves forward, they are tethered to those who came before them”. – Sarfo Emmanuel
All print enquiries:
tom@opendoors.gallery
+44 (0)7769922824
