Osborne Macharia a re-known digital Kenya artist and International award-winning photographer is now climbing the ladder up to Hollywood in every wake.
The photographjer has been contracted to promote blockbuster movie Black Panther. Just last week, his work was showcased in the Black Panther section in the Arts Science Museum in Singapore as Marvel marked 10 years of heroes.
Taking to his facebook page Macharia posted, “Marvel Studios: 10 Years of Heroes is currently showcasing at @artsciencemuseumsg in Singapore and happy to have our project ILGELUNOT on display in the #BlackPanther section of the exhibition,’’
Further in a recent interview with CNN African Voices Macharia said, “My career has taken a totally different turn to the point now we’re collaborating with brands. Brands approach you and tell you, you do the concept and we will finance it to shoot. I have been able to do what I do because of the good team around me…being able to collaborate with different people in different fields and when you come together creating that piece of art I think that is the most amazing thing you can do as a creative.’’
His success does not end there about two months ago in May, he was picked to be part of the judge panelist at the Cannes Lion 2018 a platform that awards artists for showcasing their creativity.
Before Black Panther premiered in cinemas Macharia was commissioned by Marvel to create an exclusive art piece and given the creative license to experiment.
Known for his composite photographs in which he employs elements of history, science fiction and digital photo editing to comment on historical narratives and social issues the renowned photographer created a project for the Black Panther movie titled ‘Ilgelunot.’ meaning the ‘The Chosen Ones’ in the Maasai language, the piece tells the story of three elders of Maasai origin who were Black Panther’s most trusted advisors played in the movie by Chadwick Boseman
He further went ahead and posted on his Facebook page saying “Extremely honoured to have been commissioned by DISNEY / MARVEL to create an exclusive art piece for the launch of @blackpanther for cinemas in London. A proud moment to be part of the most important Afrofuturistic movie in my generation.The brief was open and so the title of my piece is called ILGELUNOT which in Maasai translates to ‘The Chosen Ones’. I also created custom typography for the names of the elders that was inspired by geometric tribal lines, shapes and strokes in order to give the entire project its own unique identity
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This is the story of 3 blind elders of Maasai origin (originally from Kajiado) who were Black Panther’s most trusted advisors in the Kingdom of Wakanda.
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The three were rescued by King T’Chaka during World War 2 after having wandered the vast plains of North Africa for months in search of refuge. As nomads, they got to integrate, assimilate and learn from different cultures and tribes. Exposure to the metallic element #Vibranium made them blind but also gave them extra ordinary abilities and insight.
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Little is known about them till now…..”