HERITAGE AND SHARING OF EMOTIONS

Delphine Diallo is a Brooklyn-based French and Senegalese visual artist and photographer. For centuries, the art world was seen through the eyes of a select few who, under a patriarchal society, chose the aesthetic and the narrative—and whose main depiction of the sacred female body was as an objectified and sexualized woman.

Delphine Diallo aims to change this archaic, highly discriminating dynamic. Her intention is for every woman she photographs to feel the image she makes of them is a personal gift. 

By engaging in intimate conversations with her subjects, Delphine removes the sense of insecurity that often comes with being photographed, so that their most innate energy is better represented. Working with body painters, jewelry and mask makers, the photographer also makes use of traditional mythology and spiritual symbols to empower her subjects. The focus she puts on the usage of these elements is aimed at reviving local traditions and ancient habits, that have been largely forgotten due to the imposition of Western thought. Her portraiture is all about connection and exchange, both with each singular subject and the collective cultural, yet hidden, substrate they come from. She believes women are profound, kaleidoscopic beings and connects first with them on an emotional level.