Malik Afegbua: African Elders on the Runway!
Nigerian visual artist, Malik Afegbua, has created a simulation of African elderly people as models, with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
When Malik posted the images on social media, the posts generated a lot of engagement as fans and followers were stunned to see the elders dripping with so much elegance and class while showcasing the endless beauty of Africa on the runway.
In an interview, Malik gave his inspiration for such a breathtaking artistic work using AI technology. He said, “The inspiration behind this series was my mum. She had a stroke, and I am very close to my mum. I just needed an outlet to find a way to express myself and not think about her on a life-support machine. I wanted to think about her in a happy place.”
Malik Afegbua
But what’s truly remarkable about the images is that the ground-breaking fashion show never actually took place. While the images look like photographs of a genuine event, they were entirely generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
The use of AI technology in creating this fashion show for seniors, which never took place, has sparked conversations about the potential of technology to challenge societal norms and promote inclusivity. Malik hopes that the success of his work will inspire other artists and designers to embrace diversity and challenge conventional beauty standards in their work.
These fashion models of seniors will encourage people to see the beauty in every stage of life as we all deserve to be celebrated, regardless of our age or appearance.
