brazilian photogropher luiz moreira turns the beauty of the black body into reparations in new editorial ‘midas’

In Greek mythology, King Midas ruled the city of Phrygia and had an intense passion for gold. One day, the God of wine, Dionysus, visited the city and granted the king’s wish that everything he touch would turn into the valuable metal. The story is a cautionary tale about gluttony that ends tragically, but a new re-imagining by Brazilian photography Luiz Moreira turns the story into a beautiful reparations-inspired message about the inner beauty of Blackness. In the editorial, MIDAS, a Black person of androgynous appearance uses the touch of Midas on his body. Rather than turn die, this metamorphosis illuminates the Black model’s true interior, the brilliance of gold revealing in the skin. Moreira calls this transformation “the ransom of everything that has been taken away from black people for generations in history being taken back to its body, thus showing its true value.” Check out the beautiful reparations-inspired work below!:

Photographer – Luiz Moreira (filmmaker, director, producer)

Model – Jean Woolmay D. Pierre

Beauty – Yuri Monacelli

Follow Luiz Moreira: Instagram | Website

Follow Jean Woolmay D. Pierre: Instagram

Follow Yuri Monacelli: Instagram