Denis Dailleux

Ghana

I first discovered Ghana when I came across the beautiful book Paul Strand dedicated to this country. It made such an incredible impression on me that on that day, I promised myself that I would one day go and photograph Ghana.

After Gallimard Editions published my book "Fils de Roi" - a work entirely dedicated to Egypt -, I felt that the time had come for me to find new sources of inspiration. In search of fresh landscapes and new ways of being, I set out to explore Sub-Saharan Africa.

My first encounter was in Accra, with the community of Jamestown’s fishermen. There, I was struck by scenes straight out of old oil paintings. The light along the ocean dazzled, transforming the men into silhouettes. After experiencing the prudishness of Egypt, I loved the beauty and the freedom of the Ghanaian bodies. For a photographer, these bodies are a gift.

Further to meeting Joseph, I visited his village in the Ashanti region. But Ghana is not a country so easily tamed, and I had to make many return trips. And during my last trip, I found that my stubbornness had paid off. It was then that I discovered a village at the foot of Lake Volta where I encountered the most beautiful people. It was there that I took what may be my finest portraits - of a village idiot, of the children, and once again, of a group of fishermen.

I love this feeling of perpetual discovery which reminds me of childhood. I try to live within this eternal yet self-renewing state of constant rebirth.