In the wake of her Dazed 100 nomination, we speak to the South African-born visual artist about the inspirations behind her compelling images, future aspirations, and why her star sign is cancer ‘through and through’
Picking up a camera altered the course of Jessica Madavo’s life. The South African-born visual artist first discovered photography at school as a means of establishing connections with the world and people around her. What began as a hobby and a teen strategy to make friends soon developed into something habitual and consuming, and Madavo pivoted her academic focus towards developing her evident talent for making images.
After moving to the UK to study Fashion Communication and Promotion at CSM, Madavo has shot striking fashion editorials for the likes of T Magazine, The Face, and AnOther. Inspired by the work of Zanele Muholi and Santu Mofokeng among many other seminal artists, Madavo’s images also channel the “unexplainable energy” of South Africa.
Her debut monograph Black Star (2022) – the final project for her degree – was inspired by and shot on a trip to Senegal. From tender gestures of friendship to domestic scenes and camaraderie on the street, the hazy, dreamy portraits suggest myriad stories about everyday life in Dakar, capturing “the frozen moments” Madavo’s eye is most “tickled by”.
Below, we talk to the Dazed 100 nominee about her inspirations, her aspirations, her obsessions and much more.
How do you define what you do?
Jessica Madavo: I’m a visual artist
Can you remember the first photograph you ever took?
Jessica Madavo: Does a photo booth self-portrait count? More seriously, they were black-and-white portraits of someone who is now one of my best friends, Sakura.
Who are your photographic inspirations?
Jessica Madavo: Zanele Muholi, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Hiromix and Santu Mofokeng come to mind first but there many, many more.
What are you trying to capture in your photography? What are you trying to achieve through it?
Jessica Madavo: It’s the frozen moments my eye is tickled by – responding to what’s happening around me and how it makes me feel. It’s about the individual subtleties of the people and places I capture. I think the camera is my most profound teacher.
How do you think your South African heritage has shaped your photography?
Jessica Madavo: Whenever I travel back home I am reminded of the resilience people here have. That and this unexplainable energy that comes through in things like dance, music, amapiano, and the conversations you share with strangers. I’d like to hope I’ve carried a bit of that with me and that works hand-in-hand with my photographs.
What’s one ambition you have for 2024?
Jessica Madavo: I’d like to have an image on a billboard!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Jessica Madavo: This life, this day – today – it ain’t a dress rehearsal
What’s your star sign and are you typical of that star sign? (Or, if you’re a real astrohead, can you share your ‘big three’?)
Jessica Madavo: Ahaha – this was a big dinner conversation a couple of nights ago. I am a cancer through and through – sensitive and emotional with a lot of love to give, most of the time.
What would the line-up be on your nightmare blunt rotation? And then your dream one?
Jessica Madavo: Dream would be Rihanna, Moodymann, Bafic, Trevor Noah and James Baldwin if he were still alive.
Nightmare: I don’t want to get political.
What’s your weirdest internet obsession?
Jessica Madavo: Instagram black holes. I find it a bit a lot how much access we have to people we don’t actually know!
What conspiracy theory are you quite into actually?
Jessica Madavo: I used to think the weather could be controlled.
Who would you nominate for the next Dazed 100 and why?
Jessica Madavo: Kazeem Kuteyi or Mikey Krzyzanowski – I’m in awe of both and their ability to bring people together and the imprint of that on contemporary culture.