Ibrahim Kamara / Willy Ndatira

the still life, an art form which found its popularity during the seventeenth century, can seem a little old-fashioned for a young stylist like Ibrahim Kamara, although German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans has been creating great contemporary work around the style. Still life photography has a scientific aspect in that it documents and records details that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Hidden forms and natural patterns are examined, and their beauty and complexity revealed. Ibrahim went to medical school before turning his sight onto the world of fashion maybe there is a connection there? The egg, a symbol of life in many cultures, acts as a cornucopia or horn of plenty symbolizing abundance. Ibrahim Kamara’s approach to styling is rooted in his African childhood. I see his work as revolutionary because as a stylist his work focuses on abundance instead of status. He does not always need designer goods to create images symbolizing opulence. His work invites us to move away from the mindset that fashion is only about the consumption of designer goods but in fact is an act of adorning oneself. An act which is present in all cultures.

«FOR THE IMAGE I LET THE FLOWERS SIT IN MY LIVING ROOM FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEY BECAME FRAGILE AND THERE IS BEAUTY IN THAT. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GET AT YOUR WEAKEST AND LOWEST POINT TO COME BACK AND MAKE BEAUTIFUL WORK. NOT BEING SCARED TO FAIL OR GET IT WRONG IS WHAT KEEPS LIFE INTERESTING. YOU CAN ALWAYS LEARN, I’M STILL LEARNING AND HUNGRY TO LEARN TO BE BETTER AT MY CRAFT»