Austrian-Nigerian photographer David Uzochukwu’s ongoing series, Mare Monstrum / Drown In My Magic, boldly reclaims the realms of fantasy and myth, casting black bodies as central figures within these transformative narratives.
This work is an exploration of both personal and collective identity, merging the terrestrial and the aquatic to create a visual lexicon of freedom and power.
Uzochukwu’s imagery presents a poignant juxtaposition of the fantastical with the harsh realities of contemporary sociopolitical landscapes. His subjects, often depicted with limbs morphed into fantastical forms, inhabit vast expanses of sky, water, and sand. These dramatic and moody landscapes, which seem to oscillate between Earth and an otherworldly realm, serve as monumental spaces for contemplation. They invite viewers to reflect on themes of identity, migration, and the diasporic experience.
The title Mare Monstrum—referring to the Mediterranean Sea—underscores the dehumanizing portrayal of migrants by media and politics. It brings to the forefront the fraught relationship between the African diaspora and water. Uzochukwu’s images seamlessly weave together the aquatic and terrestrial, the natural and the supernatural, creating a narrative space where hybrid creatures exude power, bravery, and dignity.
Since its inception in 2016, this series has expanded in scope and depth, with water consistently playing a pivotal role. The medium’s inherent fluidity and depth offer a multitude of interpretative possibilities, allowing Uzochukwu to explore various facets of meaning and experience. The water in his work becomes a site of transformation, liberation, and resilience.
Reflecting on his artistic journey, Uzochukwu shares, “I was excited to visualize the fantastical creatures I’d been fascinated with since I was a child... I didn’t know then that I would build a larger series—but I kept returning to sketches of merfolk in the years that followed. The images begged for a larger scale and a stronger sense of community.”
In Mare Monstrum / Drown In My Magic, David Uzochukwu invites us into a world where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, creating a space where black bodies are not only visible but celebrated as central figures of myth and magic. Through his lens, Uzochukwu challenges and redefines the narratives surrounding black identity, offering a vision of beauty, strength, and resilience that transcends the ordinary and ventures boldly into the realm of the extraordinary.
