The word “regina” has long resonated with photographer Gabriel Moses. It has featured countless times as a caption on Moses’ Instagram alongside his characteristically atmospheric images, and was the title of his debut exhibition at 180 The Strand in London just last year, which showcased over 50 photographs from his work across fashion, music, and sport. Now, Regina is the title of his first monograph, over 230 full-page reproductions that celebrate his enormous catalogue of work to date. “[Regina] means queen in Latin, while still sounding like the name of a woman,” Moses writes in the book’s foreword. “It was my way of expressing gratitude to the women who have shaped the way I see the world – that’s my grandmother, mum, sister, my nieces – they all shaped my approach and my values.”
Looking through Regina, it’s clear the book is a creative homage to the women in Moses’ life. Among photographs of Pharrell Williams and Skepta, there are handwritten notes by his mother stating the love she has for her son, and text written by Ari Chanoux inspired by Moses’ appreciation for his mum in return: “Mumsy, it was never mine / always ours / never a second / always hours.” The book is both dazzlingly spectacular and intensely intimate – with screen grabs of Spotify songs, Instagram messages, and drawings by friends like artist Olaolu Slawn distributed throughout the pages.
Moses has always had a clear vision; one born from community. What started as short films of his friends on football pitches at 17 years old has landed him commissions with Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Chanel, Moncler and even AnOther. His style is unmistakable: rich, vibrant, and narrative-driven. His images regularly show people mid-action – be it with a gun, in the bath, or during a basketball game – and are often accompanied by short cinematic vignettes that offer greater insight into his evocative world. Even when models are facing the camera, Moses shows them to be thoughtful, assured, and at ease.
In just eight years, Moses has established himself as one of fashion’s most promising and most authentic young photographers – he is, after all, just 25. “My mum would show me a lot of old family photos and I loved many of the details of those images,” he says. “I’d also say my community plays a big part. I bring a lot of my identity to my work and that was shaped by my surroundings.”
For Moses, context matters, and Regina offers a multifaceted look at his body of work through contributions from collaborators. The book includes essays by the likes of Federico Sargentone, conversations between the photographer and Skepta and Nick Knight respectively, as well as personal accounts by Matthew Williams, Ciesay, Clint, Samuel Ross, Slawn, and Katja Horvat, who edited the book and worked closely with Moses throughout its creation. “I’ve been blessed enough to have a large catalogue of imagery in the time I’ve been doing this,” he said. “The biggest challenge was communicating it to everyone in what we felt would allow someone to walk away understanding what this is I’m trying to build.”
In more ways than one, Moses has already succeeded in building a whole universe – one that allows for the existence of complex characters informed by both remembrance and reverie. Regina is a testament to this unwavering vision. “For a long time I’ve been focused on world-building and creating a visual language that spoke for me and [that] people could see themselves in, [so] it was important for me to be able to bottle that up. That’s what you see within the pages of this book,” Moses says. “I see myself as an artist. I want people to feel that.”
Regina by Gabriel Moses is published by Prestel, and is out on April 9.
