In the artist’s stories, which weave together personal and collective memory, themes of love for family, the bond with his late father, and gratitude to his mother—who preserved his earliest photographs—emerge.
Carlos Idun-Tawiah, "Blue, Ghana, Accra, 2024." from the series “Hero, Father, Friend.”
We interviewed twenty-eight-year-old Carlos Idun-Tawiah, a Ghanaian artist based in Accra and winner of the ‘Segnalazioni’ category at the Deloitte Photo Grant 2025 for his project ‘Hero, Father, Friend.’
The award, established by Deloitte Italy with support from Fondazione Deloitte and led by Denis Curti, is now a benchmark in contemporary photography. This year, the winning works will be exhibited at Triennale Milano from November 27 to January 25, 2026.
Idun-Tawiah’s art offers a portrait of an artist blending private and collective memory. His narratives evoke love for family, his connection to a father he lost, and gratitude for his mother who safeguarded his first photos. Alongside this intimate dimension is a sense of responsibility toward the community, which continually informs his perspective and practice. “On a philosophical level, Carlos’s work challenges the traditional concept of the archive as keeper of what has happened; instead, he suggests it should encompass what has been hoped for,” says Denis Curti.
Francesca Malgara, Artistic Director of MIA Photo Fair and award nominator, adds: “The first time I saw one of Carlos’s photographs, I was enchanted by the poetry and the patina of colors—a positive Africa, rich in values and traditions. His work delicately yet deeply expresses community, hope, and memory; it presents an Africa that deserves to be seen this way.”
Do you remember when you took your first photograph?
My earliest real experience with photography was at church. My mother dressed us in our Sunday clothes for a family portrait shot by Uncle Adu, our photographer. He’d bring home the prints during the week, and my mother took special care of the albums we’d share with visitors. Those simple moments sparked my curiosity. I didn’t get to use a camera until my father bought us disposable Polaroids to play with. Later, he gifted me my first digital SLR, and from then on, I started experimenting with friends. That’s how things grew into what they are today.
Carlos Idun-Tawiah, "Broken Bread, Accra, Ghana, 2024." from the series “Hero, Father, Friend.”
On your website you describe yourself as both photographer and filmmaker. How do photography and cinema interact for you?
Jean-Luc Godard said it best: “Photography is truth, and cinema is truth at 24 frames per second.” They’re always in dialogue—two sides of the same coin. Often, my photos are viewed as film stills, which is probably because I rely on cinema to broaden my vision. I love it when an image feels like part of a larger narrative, as if it could move—even though it doesn’t. There’s magic in that tension.
Are there particular artists who influence your work?
The list is long: from Roy DeCarava to Kerry James Marshall, James Barnor to John Coltrane. I’ve learned so much from directors, painters, musicians, and photographers from different generations. Some days I spend hours watching Ousmane Sembène’s films; other days I’m at Ghana’s Information Services Department, helping retired photographers organize their negatives. I draw inspiration from all of it.
How do you view Ghana, your homeland, today?
Ghana has always been about its people more than its landscape. No one comes here without immediately feeling warmth and hospitality. Maybe that’s why my work revolves around friendship, love, and family—these constants that endure over the years.
Where do new series usually begin for you?
With “Sunday Special,” I realized that even an old Methodist hymn can spark inspiration. Since then, I’ve understood that the deepest works often come from the most unpredictable sources. When an idea takes root, I talk about it a lot—with friends, family, even myself—until it starts to feel real. There’s always that indescribable moment when you know the idea is ready to become something more.
Your subjects are often young people, captured in suspended, intimate moments. What kind of relationship do you build with the people you photograph?
Sometimes I approach the process like a social experiment, letting subjects react as they wish. There’s a certain honesty in young people unused to the camera—their spontaneity brings freshness. Take “Mommy Smile,” for example: that moment was entirely spontaneous—a child picked up the camera from the prop box, and that curiosity became the photograph.
Your photography stands out for its natural light and intense colors. Is this an intentional aesthetic choice?
I believe taste is just the sum of our experiences, not only in photography but in life. The way I employ natural light, color, or composition isn’t about seeking a particular “style”; it’s about conveying the emotion I want the image or idea to evoke. When I’m unsure what colors or lighting to use, I trust my feelings about those elements.
Carlos Idun-Tawiah, “Dance With My Father” from the series “Hero, Father, Friend.”
Your work gives a voice and dignity to those often left out of mainstream visual narratives. Would you say your photography is political or mainly emotional?
An image can stir emotions and also prompt questions about what we value and choose to represent. Take “The Grass is Greener Where my Father Is” (2024), which shows a father and son playing golf. It’s a tender yet powerful photograph—moments of quiet intimacy between Black fathers and sons are rarely depicted. That absence makes the image political, even in its intimacy.
Will this be your first trip to Italy?
Yes, it will be my first time. I’m excited to immerse myself in the culture and the language. One of my favorite sculptures, “Il Cristo Velato” (1753) by Giuseppe Sanmartino, is in Italy. I remember first seeing it in an encyclopedia as a child; seeing it in person will be a dream come true.
What does winning the Deloitte Photo Grant mean to you?
Honestly, it still feels a little unreal. For a kid from Accra who began taking photos just for fun, it means a great deal. It’s not just a personal achievement—it’s a message to anyone pursuing their passion blindly: it’s worth it.
This edition’s theme is “contrasts.” How did you interpret it?
“Hero, Father, Friend” explores the contrasts between presence and absence, memory and imagination. After losing my father at eighteen, I had only a handful of photos of us together. This project became a way to fill those gaps—mixing real and imagined moments. For me, contrast lives in that space between fact and fiction, pain and longing, posed portraits and intimate reconstructions. It also speaks to a larger contrast, between how Black fatherhood is typically portrayed and the tenderness I experienced.
The Grant provides time, visibility, and resources for a new project. Can you tell us about your current research? How is it going?
I’m currently working on “Hello, Carolyn,” a memoir dedicated to my parents’ love story. It’s a way of giving life to moments they shared but were never photographed. My mother and I are collaborating to fill those gaps with images, hoping the story resonates with others who see their experiences reflected in it. At the same time, I’m developing another project about loneliness and the urgency for community in the modern world, but it’s still too early to share more.
Is there a question you wish you’d been asked but weren’t?
Maybe about balancing personal work and commissions. My approach to both is similar—I want each piece to feel thoughtful and honest. I don’t hide my commercial work or think it’s less important. If a commission doesn’t win me over, I turn it down; but when it works, it becomes part of my creative world. There’s no strict boundary—just different ways to tell a story.
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