Delali Ayivi - Untitled (Malaika), 2019

From the series Togo Yeye 
Inkjet print on Hahnemühle paper
25 x 20 cm
Edition of 10 + 2AP
Signed and numbered on a separate sticker

About the work
"Togo Yeye is an ongoing collaborative project Ayivi conceived with her friend Malaika Nabillah for her final year studies. Its subject is the Togolese creative scene based in Lomé, in particular its Fashion Week. Translated from Ewe, ‘Togo Yeye’ means ‘a new Togo’ and the project strives to champion and empower its creative community. In her photographs, models and collaborators pose in the latest, outlandish fashions against simple studio backdrops. It shares formal DNA with her grandfather Acoletse’s portraiture of a century ago. In one of his glass-plate negatives, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the photographer himself confidently poses for his camera. An elegant gentleman attired in white tie, he stands against a painted backdrop, amongst fabric swags and architectural set pieces, gazing to the right side of the frame. Ayivi uses less props in her series, but there are plenty of painted backdrops along with more contemporary concrete. Her hand-held camera angles are more dynamic than the traditionally centred static camera framing: she often looks up at her sitters from slightly below their eyelines, giving them a regal air."

Text by Sophie Wright in Foam Magazine #58, the Talent issue. 

About the photographer
Delali Ayivi is a Togolese and German photographer and art director studying Creative Direction for Fashion at London College of Fashion/UAL. In 2019 Ayivi started the project Togo Eye with Malaika Nabillah, and together they seek out and collaborate with innovative Togolese fashion designers to create work that documents and empowers their creative community. Ultimately, they aim to create a directory for the Togolese creative landscape that will facilitate collaboration, national trade and consumption to strengthen their creative economy.

Delali Ayivi was a Foam Talents in 2021.

About buying this work
This photo print has a small white border around all sides. For a framer this border is necessary to be able to frame it properly. The print will be carefully wrapped and send as an insured package. You will receive an e-mail with a Track & Trace code when the package is on its way. For more information or questions about buying this print, please contact the Foam Editions team.

T. +31 (020) 5516500
E. editions@foam.org