“Every composition seems to fall into place like magic.”
—Prince Cartiee
Prince Cartiee, is a Ghanaian photographer and visual artist living and working in Accra, Ghana. A graphic designer by training, Cartiee cites his creative inspiration in the work of James Barnor, Prince Gyasi and Vivianne Sassen. His commercial clients include La Meme Gang, Condé Nast, Okay Africa and Daily Paper.
Cartiee’s images seek out the magical in the everyday, drawing subject matter from the characters and textures he encounters around him. In his 2018 series Back Stories, Cartiee positions the camera to the backs of his subjects, posing a thoughtful challenge to the relationship between photographer and sitter. Motivated by the culture of Ghana, Cartiee playfully works with the silhouettes and forms of his sitters to create arresting portraits. This rich visual juxtaposition of bodies and textiles results in vibrant compositions throughout his work.
Subverting conventions of portrait photography, Cartiee’s 2017 series Mason & Fortunes Daughter and his most recent series, Ntaa (Twins) from 2020, offer musing explorations on themes of kinship and family. Reflecting the joy of having twins, the Ntaa series portrays the intimacy of brotherhood through motifs of harmonious doubling and aesthetic symmetry. A modern take on Afro-Surrealism, Cartiee channels his creative vision into bold, natural and vivid images.
