Each year, Christian Dior Parfums teams up with ENSP and LUMA Arles to spotlight “Young Talents” whose work pushes the boundaries of image‑making. In July 2025, a distinguished jury chaired by Japanese photographer Yuriko Takagi and including art‑world figures like Maja Hoffmann, Simon Baker, and Lebohang Kganye, selected Quayson as the grand prize winner of the 8th edition of the Dior Photography and Visual Arts Award for Young Talents.

Quayson’s four‑minute film, ‘How Do You Feel?’, is part poetry, part protest. Shot in an aching stillness, the piece features Quayson shirtless and unguarded as he stages an internal dialogue between two selves: one molded by family and culture, the other unbound and queer. Through subtle costuming and stripped‑back visuals, he peels back layer after layer of identity, inviting audiences into a “quiet war” that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

The panel praised ‘How Do You Feel?’ for its emotional depth and sincerity. In addition to the €10,000 prize, Quayson’s work will be shown at Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris in early 2026 and on view at LUMA Arles from July–October 2025. A special mention also went to American artist Raine Roberts, underscoring Dior’s commitment to emerging storytellers who aren’t afraid to shake tables.

With “How Do You Feel?”, Joel Quayson demonstrates that today’s young visual artists aren’t just capturing aesthetically pleasing images, but also sparking meaningful conversations about identity, belonging, and transformation. As the art world increasingly embraces voices from the African diaspora and queer communities, Quayson’s win marks a milestone: a reminder that vulnerability, when crafted with intention, is one of the most powerful tools an artist can wield.