Photographer Rachel Seidu has collaborated with Yves Saint Laurent Rive Droite, a curated and creative retail and cultural destination, to showcase her stunning photographs in their stores in Paris and Los Angeles. The collaboration with Saint Laurent has allowed the Nigerian-born artist to exhibit her work and bring her vision to a wider audience.
Rachel Seidu (b.1997) is a visual artist working across photography and film in creating intimate, emotive portraits reflecting diverse stories and realities. Her practice involves a technical exploration of and experimentation with shadows, contrast and natural lighting.
In 2022, Seidu photographed the cover of the 2022 edition of We Need New Names, the Booker shortlisted novel by Zimbabwean author NoViolet Bulawayo. She was also shortlisted for the James Barnor and Yaa Asantewaa Prize in 2022. Selected group exhibition include Let’s take a moment (2022), O’da Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria, Sòrò Sókè (2022), Foto Wein, Young Contemporaries Exhibition (2020), Rele Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria and Boundaries of Reason(2021), Abuja Photo Festival, Abuja, Nigeria. Seidu is a member of Black Women Photographers and the African Photojournalism Database. She lives and works in Lagos.
Seidu describes herself as a “visual storyteller” and her photographs are a testament to that. She tells
stories through her portraits and documentary shots that capture the essence of her subjects and their
surroundings. Her images are not only beautiful, but they also challenge the stereotypes associated with
African culture, gender, race, and sexuality.
Seidu’s photographs are intimate and personal, taking the viewers on an emotional journey that creates
an intimate connection with her subjects. The images highlight the beauty of African culture, portraying
it in a sophisticated and elegant light. The photographs showcase the people of Nigeria, capturing their
everyday interactions and emotions in a way that feels genuine and authentic.
The collaboration with Saint Laurent has allowed Seidu to showcase her work to a wider audience, and
her photographs have been exhibited in the stores in Paris and Los Angeles. The exhibition features
seven of Seidu’s photographs, each one telling a different story about her environment, her country,
and her people.
Through her photographs, Seidu captures moments of vulnerability and tenderness, challenging
society’s rigid and oppressive norms. Her images celebrate the real and hidden side of people and create
personal and hyper-realistic narratives that are open to exploration.
It would not be an understatement to say seidu has become a familiar name in the Nigerian art scene
while steadily going international, from her days with the rele art foundation, to the nomination for the
James barno art prize and even working with the New york times.
Rachel Seidu’s collaboration with Saint Laurent Rive Droite is a remarkable achievement
for the Nigerian-born artist. Her stunning photographs are a testament to her talent as a visual
storyteller, and her ability to challenge stereotypes through her art is truly inspiring. The collaboration is
a testament to the power of art and the importance of collaboration in bringing new voices and
perspectives to the forefront as she has gradually taken a place in the art space by force in the past 3
years, with varying platforms.
