Delphine Diallo is a Brooklyn-based French and Senegalese visual artist and photographer.
Born into a French-Senegalese creative family, Delphine Diallo’s first expressions of artistry
were in music, graphic design, and artistic direction. However, meeting North-American
photographer Peter Beard (1938-2020) radically changed the course of her life enabling
were in music, graphic design, and artistic direction. However, meeting North-American
photographer Peter Beard (1938-2020) radically changed the course of her life enabling
her to become a photographer in the full capacity of her agentivity and teaching her invaluable
practical lessons. An observer of photography’s traditional gaze on women’s bodies,
practical lessons. An observer of photography’s traditional gaze on women’s bodies,
Diallo made it her mission to become a key actor in the deconstruction of its sexist and racist
legacy. Since 2014, Diallo has been creating a visual language that would empower herself
and the women who would become her protagonists and heroines. Diallo started by
portraying friends and family members and turned them into goddesses—a way to honor
what she names the “divine female body”. Her vision and mission for what these women
legacy. Since 2014, Diallo has been creating a visual language that would empower herself
and the women who would become her protagonists and heroines. Diallo started by
portraying friends and family members and turned them into goddesses—a way to honor
what she names the “divine female body”. Her vision and mission for what these women
are and should be would then take form thanks to body paint, jewelry, and various attires.
Aware of the responsibility that comes with representing others, Diallo is centering ethics in
her practice, creating long-term relationships and collaborations with her sitters. Throughout
the years, Diallo developed a photographic expression that plays with spiritual symbols
evoking mythology and giving black women their rightful place in the pantheon. Her work
aspires to elevate her subjects by creating new legends. In that respect, Diallo challenges
and redefines the historical genre of portraiture.
Behind her carefully composed images, Diallo inspiration spans from her practice of martial
arts and its relation to the body, to non-western literature, and, is ever galvanized, by her in-
depth research on spirituality and sciences. More recently, Diallo has been exploring the
power and potentialities of self-portraiture, turning mental pictures—or lucid dreams—
Aware of the responsibility that comes with representing others, Diallo is centering ethics in
her practice, creating long-term relationships and collaborations with her sitters. Throughout
the years, Diallo developed a photographic expression that plays with spiritual symbols
evoking mythology and giving black women their rightful place in the pantheon. Her work
aspires to elevate her subjects by creating new legends. In that respect, Diallo challenges
and redefines the historical genre of portraiture.
Behind her carefully composed images, Diallo inspiration spans from her practice of martial
arts and its relation to the body, to non-western literature, and, is ever galvanized, by her in-
depth research on spirituality and sciences. More recently, Diallo has been exploring the
power and potentialities of self-portraiture, turning mental pictures—or lucid dreams—
into carefully crafted mise-en-scène. Working mainly in digital and analogue photography,
Diallo has been exploring the ways in which she could make images through an expansion
of her tools such as AI, drawings, and found imagery. She has lately been diving into the
world of collages and montages, expanding how she can convey narratives and share
stories. She states “Image-making is my space for acceptance, integrity, wisdom, beauty,
strength, faith, mystery, and the universal matter”. Through her work, she has created
Diallo has been exploring the ways in which she could make images through an expansion
of her tools such as AI, drawings, and found imagery. She has lately been diving into the
world of collages and montages, expanding how she can convey narratives and share
stories. She states “Image-making is my space for acceptance, integrity, wisdom, beauty,
strength, faith, mystery, and the universal matter”. Through her work, she has created
her own way of “gazing back”, celebrating black women. Beyond assumptions, she aims
at inclusive and transnational representations — dreaming of a future matriarchal society.
Delphine Diallo proposes provocative visuals and crafts innovative iconographies
Delphine Diallo proposes provocative visuals and crafts innovative iconographies
to trigger the viewer’s politics and imagination.
Clients: World Press Photo, the Washington Post, RGA agency, The New York Times, L OREAL, Time magazine, Esquire, The New Yorker, Nike, Time inc, Gant, The Smithonian Magazine, United Nation, Delta, Guerlain, Tumi, Y&R, UNCF, Save the Children UK, Obey Giant, Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Anomaly, Swizz Beats, Bacardi, BBH Agency, Essence magazine, Afropunk, Dollhouse, Christian Scott, J cole, Dreamville, parkwood, Wesfield, Lionbabe, Gill Peterson, The Crown Estate, Quatar Creates.
Publications Vogue Portugal, The Washington post, Artsy, Vice, Marie Claire italia, B&H, T magazine, Time out magazine, Okayafrica, 99U Interview, Destig Magazine, The New Yorker, The Smithonian magazine, Uptwown magazine, PDN magazine, Transition magazine, Trace magazine, Globetrotter magazine, I AM magazine, African lens volume 4, book "Africa see you see me", Nataal, The Wild magazine, Phaidon, NBCnews, PBS,Fisheye Magazine, L oeil de la photographie, okreal, UNwomen, Afropunk, Surface magazine, artleadhera, book "MFON women photographers of the african diaspora",Cover Book - Leonora Miano - "L' imperatif transgressif" published by L" Arche Editeur, Konbini, Picsart,The Gift self publishing, Hat & Beard press Publication