Dear friends, here is something for the holidays. I took this picture of Adele in a private and secret location in London, away from the madness that often comes with celebrity. She had recently had a beautiful little baby boy and I was so thrilled that while we were working, her baby with was us keeping us company. As I prepared to take this particular frame, focusing on Adele’s eyelash, her son was crawling around her feet. Suddenly, he started to squeeze her ankles with his tiny fingers. As she felt the pressure on her foot, her spirit instantly transformed. This is not the face of one of the world’s greatest superstars, this is the soul of a loving young mother. Adele, thank you for sharing that day with me and thank you for your trust. We had a human moment together and it is now embedded in this picture forever more. To Adele and all the working mothers of the world, I salute you.
Friends, here is a picture of a man I admire greatly, Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner of UNHCR. Filippo inspired our multimedia project PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. In my New York studio I asked him the true meaning of compassion. He paused, looked into my camera and said, “The instinct of a human being is to be nervous around a stranger, but once you know the stranger that hand of friendship is easy to extend.” Filippo Grandi, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, here is a picture of a man I admire greatly, Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner of UNHCR. Filippo inspired our multimedia project PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. In my New York studio I asked him the true meaning of compassion. He paused, looked into my camera and said, “The instinct of a human being is to be nervous around a stranger, but once you know the stranger that hand of friendship is easy to extend.” Filippo Grandi, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, here is a picture of a man I admire greatly, Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner of UNHCR. Filippo inspired our multimedia project PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. In my New York studio I asked him the true meaning of compassion. He paused, looked into my camera and said, “The instinct of a human being is to be nervous around a stranger, but once you know the stranger that hand of friendship is easy to extend.” Filippo Grandi, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, this is a portrait of Sasha. She is a feminist, an activist, and a mother. She fled her country with her teenage daughter. Sasha is featured in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. I asked Sasha the meaning of power and she replied, “Power, this is like a virus and when it is inside you, you lose your ears, you lose your eyes, you lose your brains, and with time it will destroy you. It is the most dangerous virus in the world. Look at all these infected people.” As our time together drew to a close, I asked Sasha what she hoped for. She smiled and said, “Open possibilities – I dream about this life for my daughter.” Sasha, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, this is a portrait of Sasha. She is a feminist, an activist, and a mother. She fled her country with her teenage daughter. Sasha is featured in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. I asked Sasha the meaning of power and she replied, “Power, this is like a virus and when it is inside you, you lose your ears, you lose your eyes, you lose your brains, and with time it will destroy you. It is the most dangerous virus in the world. Look at all these infected people.” As our time together drew to a close, I asked Sasha what she hoped for. She smiled and said, “Open possibilities – I dream about this life for my daughter.” Sasha, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, please meet Omer who fled from his country as a refugee at age 14. Omer is a dedicated musician and features in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. During our portrait session, I asked Omer if he ever felt like a stranger. Instantly his body language changed and I could tell he felt a little vulnerable. “I don’t know how to describe this,” he said, “it is a very bad feeling. Like there is something missing. Ok, I am not welcome. But why?” Omer continued, “I am not an enemy of anyone. I am a peaceful person. Being welcome is a big punch of hope.” Omer, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, please meet Veronika. She is 22 years old and recently fled her country with her mother and is featured in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. I asked Veronika how she sees a stranger and she said, “A stranger is neutral. I don’t judge a person until I know them. But in the end, I hope they are my friends.” I then asked her if she was frightened during her troubled journey. She smiled and said, “Any person can be bigger than fear.” Veronika, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, please meet Veronika. She is 22 years old and recently fled her country with her mother and is featured in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. I asked Veronika how she sees a stranger and she said, “A stranger is neutral. I don’t judge a person until I know them. But in the end, I hope they are my friends.” I then asked her if she was frightened during her troubled journey. She smiled and said, “Any person can be bigger than fear.” Veronika, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, I am so excited to share new work with you. Today is the official launch of a multimedia film and photography project created in partnership with my dear colleagues at UNHCR, called PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. With their support and guidance, we have spent the last year building a narrative that honors refugees around the world. The human spirit shares a universal truth – the desire to be free, to be safe, to be respected, to belong.
This is a picture of a baby boy called Daniel. He is the youngest refugee I’ve ever met, photographed at just a few weeks old, having fled from Ukraine with his mother. I hope you enjoy this short clip from our larger film.
I am honored that Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner of UNHCR joined me in Davos as my special guest for the launch of our collaboration. Please go to the link in bio to watch our full session.
Friends, please meet Fatma. She is a 12-year-old refugee and is also featured in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. Fatma is a top student in school and is determined to speak English. My team and I were invited to Fatma’s house for lunch, which her mother kindly prepared for us. It was indeed an inspirational afternoon. I asked her how she would describe the word freedom and she insisted on answering in English, despite her struggles with the language. She said, “Paradise is a place where there are no bad people, and where everyone is free.” Fatma, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, this is a portrait of Enzo who is a refugee featured in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. Enzo is a kind and gentle man, who has a young son. I asked Enzo the meaning of judgement. He looked down to the floor, deep in thought, then whispered, “It’s not easy to be a stranger in the white cities. It’s not easy because they judge and see you differently. It’s hard to accept judgment because no one chooses their father, their mother, or skin color, but I am in love with the person that I am.” Enzo, I am at your service and I salute you.
Dear friends, I’ve got some exciting news. I’m very proud to announce that my first TED talk is now live for all to see. It was a privilege to work with the @ted community. We had a blast collaborating together. This picture, one of my favorites, is featured in my talk. Follow the link in my bio to watch. It’s time for us to be less judgmental and more curious. Let’s open our eyes and see each other as we really are. To the TED community, I salute you.
Friends, please meet Ferzane and Fehime who are sisters. They are both refugees and feature in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. Education is their driving force. They are both students at college studying international relations and biochemistry. I asked Ferzane what it means to be equal, and she replied, “When someone is telling me that you are not equal with me, I would say, think again. Think again. Maybe your idea would be changed.” As our session finished, I asked the sisters when they look in the mirror what do they see, and Ferzane said, “When I look in the mirror I see a hero.” Fehime then smiled and said, “You are meeting with strong persons.” Ferzane and Fehime, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, please meet Ferzane and Fehime who are sisters. They are both refugees and feature in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. Education is their driving force. They are both students at college studying international relations and biochemistry. I asked Ferzane what it means to be equal, and she replied, “When someone is telling me that you are not equal with me, I would say, think again. Think again. Maybe your idea would be changed.” As our session finished, I asked the sisters when they look in the mirror what do they see, and Ferzane said, “When I look in the mirror I see a hero.” Fehime then smiled and said, “You are meeting with strong persons.” Ferzane and Fehime, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, please meet Ferzane and Fehime who are sisters. They are both refugees and feature in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. Education is their driving force. They are both students at college studying international relations and biochemistry. I asked Ferzane what it means to be equal, and she replied, “When someone is telling me that you are not equal with me, I would say, think again. Think again. Maybe your idea would be changed.” As our session finished, I asked the sisters when they look in the mirror what do they see, and Ferzane said, “When I look in the mirror I see a hero.” Fehime then smiled and said, “You are meeting with strong persons.” Ferzane and Fehime, I am at your service and I salute you.
Dear friends, today is my birthday. I am older, but certainly not wiser. What better way for me to celebrate than to announce my latest exciting project. I am so proud to collaborate with one of my all time heroes. She is one of the world’s greatest musicians and a formidable human rights activist. Her name is Angélique Kidjo and this Friday I will be posting my first music video I directed for her. The song is called ‘Choose Love’ and it’s a celebration of women’s empowerment inspiring us all to be kind, compassionate and curious. Angélqiue Kidjo, I salute you. #chooselove
Dear friends, today is my birthday. I am older, but certainly not wiser. What better way for me to celebrate than to announce my latest exciting project. I am so proud to collaborate with one of my all time heroes. She is one of the world’s greatest musicians and a formidable human rights activist. Her name is Angélique Kidjo and this Friday I will be posting my first music video I directed for her. The song is called ‘Choose Love’ and it’s a celebration of women’s empowerment inspiring us all to be kind, compassionate and curious. Angélqiue Kidjo, I salute you. #chooselove
Dear friends, today is my birthday. I am older, but certainly not wiser. What better way for me to celebrate than to announce my latest exciting project. I am so proud to collaborate with one of my all time heroes. She is one of the world’s greatest musicians and a formidable human rights activist. Her name is Angélique Kidjo and this Friday I will be posting my first music video I directed for her. The song is called ‘Choose Love’ and it’s a celebration of women’s empowerment inspiring us all to be kind, compassionate and curious. Angélqiue Kidjo, I salute you. #chooselove
Friends, I want to pay tribute to a legendary woman who passed away recently. Vivienne Westwood was a courageous creative force who, in my opinion, invented punk, dressing and styling the Sex Pistols in the late 1970’s. She never stopped pushing boundaries and searching for new ideas. I had the privilege to know Vivienne in my early days as a student photographer and she used to lend me all her dresses for my first fashion shoots. This black and white image was part of my final degree exhibition featuring the back of one of her pinned dressed. She was curious, brave, devilishly witty, and unpredictable. She would always make sure I was invited to her fashion shows, and I learnt so much from her.
Eventually I had the opportunity to take her portrait. She arrived at the studio dressed as Queen Elizabeth I in a ruby red gown with matching lipstick. Just before the shooting began, we had a huge argument. She knew I was a die-hard modernist and went out of her way to say, “Picasso was terribly overrated.” I was hot-headed in those days and so our pre-shoot conversation descended into an all-mighty fight about art. By the time she walked on set in her famous white stiletto heels, I was furiously flustered and the atmosphere was tense. She stood in profile to show off her tailoring and silhouette, then with one knee tilted forward she gave me a saucy look with a raised eyebrow. Vivienne was simply playing with me from the very start. Vivienne Westwood it was an honor to know you and I salute you.
Friends, here is a portrait of Chantale. Chantale is a former refugee from The Democratic Republic of Congo, who now lives in the US. She is featured in my collaboration with UNHCR, called PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. During our photo session I asked Chantale the true meaning of freedom and she said, “Freedom — I like that word. For me, as a woman, is to be independent and to have choices over your own body. Freedom to decide over your own life.” She went on to say, “Freedom is a good thing. Could be a bag thing, too. Depending on how you use it.” Chantale, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, here is a portrait of Chantale. Chantale is a former refugee from The Democratic Republic of Congo, who now lives in the US. She is featured in my collaboration with UNHCR, called PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. During our photo session I asked Chantale the true meaning of freedom and she said, “Freedom — I like that word. For me, as a woman, is to be independent and to have choices over your own body. Freedom to decide over your own life.” She went on to say, “Freedom is a good thing. Could be a bag thing, too. Depending on how you use it.” Chantale, I am at your service and I salute you.
Friends, please meet Zara. She is a 48-year-old trans woman. Zara was imprisoned in her home country because of her LGBTQ+ identity, and there she witnessed suicide, murder, and torture of LGBTQ+ people. Zara is a refugee and is featured in PORTRAIT OF A STRANGER. During our portrait session, I asked Zara what she is afraid of, and she replied, “I am scared of people who look like they are human beings, but inside they are monsters.” I then asked Zara how she managed to survive through such horrific challenges. She replied, “When you are a baby you are holding onto life — you are a little survivor. But when you are an adult, you are a big survivor — life is a game of survival.” Zara, I am at your service and I salute you.
Dear friends, I’m so excited to share this with you. Here is the teaser for my first ever music video collaboration with Angélique Kidjo. Angélique inspires us all to be great leaders at this pivotal moment in history. Making this film together was a privilege and a joy. To watch the full video please follow the link in my bio. Today, in the midst of so much negativity, we choose love. Angélique Kidjo, I salute you.
