Photographer Mishaal Gangaram Presents The Modern Tale of MEDU$A BADOO
Inspired and determined, conceptual photographer Mishaal Gangaram releases collaboration passion project MEDU$A BADOO to the world of Instagram. The project, a modern and personal interpretation of the Ancient Greek mythological story of Medusa, sees Mishaal and the muse for the project – songstress Money Badoo – take conceptual photography to a new level of storytelling.
“Its storytelling...Through history.”
“It was crazy…and random…how this whole thing happened” Mishaal explains as the concept for the project arose. The avid photographer describes how him and the local music star had gone to get food after attending an album launch, where he had noticed a tattoo of Medusa on her hand. From there sparked an immediate inspiration for the project.
The ancient story of Medusa is not one isolated in the history of storytelling. Similar to that of even Lilith, we are all too accustomed to stories of “impure” women metamorphizing into monsters, in this case, and some others specifically sporting phallic and serpentine limbs of destruction. It is our initial meeting with the tale of Medusa that sees her as a monster mediated through the lens of a male hero, but, as Mishaal notes, “her story was skewed”. Medusa, one of Athena’s pure and virginal priestesses, was noted in Greek tales as being undoubtedly beautiful. After rejecting the advances of Greek God Poseidon, the beautiful priestess was [TRIGGER WARNING] raped and later cursed to a monstrous form as she had compromised her pure and virginal status and offended the goddess Athena. The once beautiful Medusa was now transformed into a serpent-like monster, turning anyone who gazes upon her into stone; punishment for the way those used to gaze (unaffectedly) upon her beauty. The stigmatization of female sexuality and the consequence that women suffer for male lust is something that exists in our society still today. Medusa, like most women, was silenced in her suffering and robbed of her agency; this is where Mishaal hopes to retell the story.
“What I always admired about Money is her beauty and her confidence about who she is”
Akin to the tale of Medusa, Mishaal sees the subject of the project – Money Badoo – having faced similar levels of scorn, sexualization and objectification within the industry and at the hands of the male gaze. “She wears what she wants, she dresses how she wants…it’s the real people that see her and her true strength and beauty”; and it is through these qualities that Mishaal hopes to reincarnate the visualization of Medusa. Strategically planned in a three-post rollout over several days, MEDU$A BADOO follows an almost reverse progression of the Medusa tale.
Beginning with images of the “monster”, the project’s first rollout stage deals with “The Wrath of Medusa Badoo”. Wearing a crown of snakes, as well as having illustrated vipers wrapped around her body, and being draped in several green and maroon-layered materials likening itself to snakeskin; these first stark and dominant images see Money Badoo, or moreso MEDU$A BADOO, a “powerful, strong and fearful” serpent-like queen.
The second rollout stage, “EXPERIENCE THE WRATH OF MEDU$A BADOO”, deals with the aspect of turning-to-stone. As in Medusa’s tale where those who gaze upon her are turned to stone, Mishaal and his team create a similar level of consequence for those who gaze upon MEDU$A BADOO. Whilst this rollout stage image features Badoo herself as an eyeless, serpent-queen statue in a single provoking and stark greyscale image; the released “MEDU$A BADOO” Instagram filter is one entrenching the consequence of the audience’s gaze. Encouraging active audience participation in the project, the filter turns the viewer’s face to stone; much like the power of Medusa. Here we see a punishment for what can be understood as ‘the male gaze’, to which Medusa, Money and most women have historically suffered. The filter can be accessed on Money Badoo’s Instagram profile here.
“THE BEAUTY OF MEDU$A BADOO”, the final rollout stage of Mishaal and Money’s project, depicts an almost-origin story of the earlier ‘beast’. Like Medusa’s original demeanor, Money is too a beautiful and scorned woman. Exhibiting softer stances and exposure with a darker backdrop to the initial harsh and dominating snake-queen images, these images of MEDU$A BADOO stand in stark contrast to the monstrous depiction of the songstress. Now dressed in warmer orange snakeskin tones, including that of a ‘modest’ headpiece, this softer and beautiful “Money more than Medusa” is exhibited as an exploration and at the same time conclusion to the “real story of Medusa”; one that through the collaborative work of Mishaal and his team, has been brought to life.
Photography and Creative Direction: Mishaal Gangaram
Muse and Model: Money Badoo
Assist: Ameer Mia
Illustration: Dayyaan
Filter: Xopher Wallace
“I hope to create a brand that meaningfully contributes to the music industry by showcasing tomorrow's music today.”