03 Mar The magic touch: Painterly portraits by Mehnaaz Alex and The Seppis

If you’ve got imagination and a stellar team, you don’t need much else to make an impact. A stark white backdrop, an all-black wardrobe and some body paint are elevated with the magic touch of make-up artist/art director Mehnaaz Alex and the striking aesthetic of photography duo The Seppis.

Having had a desire to collaborate with her photographer friends Seema Allie and Taariq September for some time, Mehnaaz jumped at the opportunity when Brooklyn-based model Leonard Diga was in Cape Town. She conceptualised the painterly series of images you see here, which show Lenny’s rich skin embellished with galactic swirls – the effect is rather hypnotising and might transport you (if only briefly) into another realm entirely.