Regarded as one of American photography’s rising stars, Tyler Mitchell (US, 1995) brings together ten years of work in this exhibition. In 2018, at the age of 23, he made his highly-acclaimed entrance into the world of fashion photography by photographing the singer Beyoncé for American Vogue, becoming the first African-American photographer in the famous magazine’s history to shoot the cover. Since then, Mitchell has emerged as a leading voice of his generation. His photographic language, which stands out with its palette of rich and vibrant colours, is instantly recognisable. Switching between art and fashion, the 30-year-old artist takes intimate portraits and stagings celebrating the beauty of his black subjects. Through his portraits, video installations and works printed onto unusual supports including mirrors and textiles, he breathes fresh life into visual representation in both portraits and fashion photography.

Wish This Was Real is the first exhibition in Switzerland devoted to the artist. It retraces almost a decade of creation and highlights instants of human connection, family ties and play, resonating with the history and cultural realities of the Southern United States. Organised and produced by the C/O Berlin Foundation in collaboration with Tyler Mitchell Studios, the exhibition, curated by Brendan Embser and Sophia Greiff, will be making a stopover in Lausanne after showing in Berlin and Helsinki.