“The Gele* is an explosion of colour. Interestingly, the visual impact of the Gele as a fashion accessory is unique to Nigeria. To me it always looks like an elaborate crown. And against black skin, it takes on an even stronger dimension. It reminds me that every individual has a colourful essence, which is what I see when I photograph.”
Kelechi Amadi-Obi (born 1969) is a celebrated African fashion photographer. He started his career as a lawyer, before venturing into full time art in 1993. His artistic journey began with painting, giving his photography its unique creative edge, with a mastery of aesthetics and creative lighting. In 2010 Amadi-Obi launched Mania, Nigeria’s first international standard glossy fashion magazine. His work has been exhibited locally and internationally, including in Snap Judgment – A New Position in Contemporary African Photography, at the International Centre of Photography, New York, USA in 2006, in Depth of Field at the South London Gallery, UK, in 2004, in Lagos at the Ifa Gallery, in Stuttgart, Germany in 2005, in Transferts at Africalia, in Brussels, Belgium in 2003. In 2004, Amadi- Obi won the prestigious St.Moritz Style Award for Photography.
