Philip-Daniel Ducasse’s Afrocentric work documents people, culture and the talents they possess

Born in Quebec and raised in Haiti, the now New York-based photographer is heavily inspired by his culture.

Date
3 August 2020

“I got to where I am today through hard work and persistence,” says New York-based photographer Philip-Daniel Ducasse, who was born in Quebec City, Canada, and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. “I come from a culture where I was made to believe that I only had three career choices: doctor, lawyer or engineer. Those professions were the only ones deemed acceptable in my household.” As such, Philip-Daniel spent the entirety of college pursuing the sciences as a profession; that was before he realised his true passion for the arts. “Photography has always been an important element in my life,” he tells It’s Nice That. “I’ve always used it as a conduit for meditation and self-discovery.”

From a mere glance at Philip-Daniel’s portfolio, you’re instantly aware of how meaningful he finds the act of taking pictures. Inspired by his family’s photography archives, he looks back to his early childhood flipping through the albums. “This simple act gave me a glimpse at what life looked like before birth,” he explains. “As my mother would say: ‘You must know where you came from to know where you’re going’”. It’s this motto and “lesson” that Philip-Daniel reminds himself of regularly, channelling what he’s learnt from his mother into an inspirational starting point for his practice.

Now documenting life around him, Philip-Daniel describes his aesthetic as being “very Afrocentric”. Focusing predominantly on immigrants and those underrepresented in the media, he sees his work as a means of providing a platform for “those people to be celebrated for their culture and many talents that they possess.” He adds: “I really enjoy photographing people who look like me – people who I feel connected to, whether through the culture or through art.” An immigrant from Haiti, too, he’s always sought out the best way to document and tell the stories of his culture and his people, adding to their archive with utmost sincerity. “My aesthetic is that of an activist, though I think that can be a subtle message; I want it to be profound and speak for itself.”

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Philip-Daniel Ducasse: Gabriel

Thus, culture plays a key role in his practice. Philip-Daniel now resides in one of the biggest cities in the world – experiencing life and taking in new influences that consequently provide him with a “unique world view”, alongside a healthy dose of inspiration to pull from creatively. He continues to tell us how he’s a “multidimensional individual”, and that he’s someone who has ideas arriving in flux. So, when starting his day at the studio, there’s no question that he’s arrived armed with plenty of innovative ideas. A typical day in this case has no linear structure and, instead, he sets off with the expectation that the hours to come will be joyfully unpredictable and varied.

“The best part about being a self-employed photographer is the ability to tailor my life to what I want it to look like at any given time,” he says. “Having complete freedom over my schedule is the ultimate level of freedom in our current societal construct; doing what I do has provided me with so much freedom over the years that I would never go back to what life was like prior to taking that leap of faith and going after my goals.” Resultantly, his creative process gets a little “hectic” at times, yet it’s one that allows him the independence to meditate, practice yoga, head to the gym and constantly think of fresh and original ideas. “I drive myself crazy doing this, but it keeps me motivated and on my toes.”

Putting thoughts into practice, his most recent – and now sold out – self-published zine Big Brother Little Brother is a series and publication that he created in lockdown. A collection of images shot over a one-month period in South Africa, it sees the documentation of a group of Pantsula Dancers called the Tembisa Red Devils. “I went into this project feeling really free and unbounded and the resulting images are really magical,” he says, while his other works present an array of narrative-driven portraiture plus scenes of culture and life.

Although the coming months continue to appear uncertain, Philip-Daniel sees his future as one that looks bright. Producing evocative imagery, his work is here to spark conversation, to provoke a sense of emotion and to garner thought from his audience – “both the good and the bad” – all the while presenting what it’s like to feel and be human. “This won’t be the last time you hear from me; this is only the tip of the iceberg and the rest is yet to come.”

GalleryPhilip-Daniel Ducasse

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West Indians

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Gabriel

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Gabriel

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Gabriel

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Blackgold

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Park

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Park

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Pantsula, Big Brother Little Brother

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Pantsula, Big Brother Little Brother

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Pantsula, Big Brother Little Brother

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Tembisa

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Tembisa

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Tembisa

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Philip-Daniel Ducasse: West Indians

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About the Author

Ayla Angelos

Ayla is a London-based freelance writer, editor and consultant specialising in art, photography, design and culture. After joining It’s Nice That in 2017 as editorial assistant, she was interim online editor in 2022/2023 and continues to work with us on a freelance basis. She has written for i-D, Dazed, AnOther, WePresent, Port, Elephant and more, and she is also the managing editor of design magazine Anima. 

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