“Every image shapes assumptions — why it matters, who matters, and how people are understood. That makes fair and accurate representation increasingly important in the AI era. But beyond representation lies a bigger question: who is the real person behind the image? Through this project, we want to move beyond representation as technical accuracy alone and explore representation as recognition — enabling technology not only to capture people faithfully, but to help people feel truly seen. By moving beyond bias, labels, and stereotypes, we hope to build a future where technology reflects people more authentically and allows the world to understand them more fully. Truthful representation is the foundation of genuine human understanding.” ~Jack Guo, General Manager at TECNO
As AI continues to shape how people are seen and portrayed, a pressing question emerges: how can we ensure that technology faithfully captures humanity in all its complexity?
According to TECNO, the solution starts with a simple notion: technology should make it possible for people to be perceived more accurately. TECNO and Brazilian visual artist Angélica Dass launch "100 Portraits of Becoming," a two-year project that begins today in Nairobi, Kenya, and spans five countries, in response to this conviction.
Co-founded with Angélica Dass, the "100 Portraits of Becoming" project aims to document the individual journeys of 100 real people from around the world through photographs. These portraits, which come from a variety of backgrounds and serve as a testament to the human tapestry, spark a global cultural conversation about authentic representation, identity, dignity, and human becoming in the age of artificial intelligence.
This collaboration builds on a shared commitment to recognizing the true diversity of human life by fusing TECNO's innovative inclusive imaging technology with Dass's human-centered approach to portraiture.
“As a photographer, I realize that I can be a channel for others to communicate. The ‘100 Portraits of Becoming’ initiative with TECNO creates such a channel for people to speak for themselves and be seen on their own terms. That is why this collaboration with TECNO felt meaningful to me. My portrait practice has always been less about documenting appearance and more about creating space for people to exist beyond assumptions. What moved me about this collaboration is the shared vision and the possibility of bringing that intention into a medium used by millions every day. I am excited that this initiative is not about defining people — it is about allowing identity to remain open, layered, and human. Because being visible is not the same as being understood. True recognition begins when we are seen as we really are.” ~Angélica Dass
Angélica Dass: Seeing Humanity Beyond Skin Tones
The collaboration with Angélica Dass is a natural extension of TECNO's goals and Dass's research into how culture, technology, and personal stories come together to create genuine human representation.
Award-winning Brazilian-Spanish visual artist Angélica Dass recognized long before others that skin tones are more than just colors; they are reflections of unique cultures and individual identities. She is best known for Humanae, a global portrait series that challenges conventional ideas of racial identity. The idea that each person should be treated as an individual rather than a group is emphasized in her artwork.
Dass uses portraiture in her work to emphasize the individuality of her subjects, seeing skin tone as a starting point rather than a label for personal narratives. Her impact goes far beyond traditional galleries; more than two million people watched her 2016 TED Talk on skin and identity, and her artwork has appeared in magazines like National Geographic, Vogue, and Foreign Affairs, as well as at esteemed events and institutions like the World Economic Forum, UNESCO, AMNH, the Migration Museum in London, and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
“One thing I appreciate about the ‘100 Portraits of Becoming’ initiative is our shared belief that portraiture is not simply about recording appearance visually. It is a way of questioning assumptions, challenging labels, and creating space for people to be seen and understood beyond stereotypes.”
From 100 Portraits to 100 Ways of Seeing Humanity in Five Countries
As part of "100 Portraits of Becoming," Dass will photograph 100 individuals in five different nations, beginning in Kenya. Participants who sign up via a special global website are photographed in their own clothes, in natural light, and without the use of filters to guarantee the highest level of authenticity.
In front of the camera, each person will tell their own story of growth, demonstrating how they overcame various social and cultural shifts to become the individuals they are today.
These portraits and narratives will be displayed on the project's website to create a "Living Archive"—a digital repository where people from all walks of life can be seen, heard, and understood as part of a larger human story. The archive aims to sustain a cultural conversation about identity and dignity as AI continues to redefine representation.
TECNO Universal Tone: Expanding What Technology Can See
"100 Portraits of Becoming" will be photographed using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, which is powered by TECNO Universal Tone Technology and serves as the technological foundation for the project's commitment to accurate representation.
In the past, widely used AI models and imaging algorithms have often been trained on datasets that conform to a narrow range of aesthetics, making it impossible for them to accurately reflect human diversity. As a result, people with non-fair skin tones have all too often been misrepresented in mobile photography by being overly brightened, underexposed, or rendered in ways that are inconsistent with their actual appearance.
Introduced in 2023, TECNO Universal Tone is the most advanced full-spectrum AI-powered skin tone imaging technology. With TECNO's industry-leading multi-skin-tone color card, which has 372 skin tones and is still expanding, it integrates the biggest and most accurate skin tone database in the business.
Because Universal Tone makes it easier to capture the full spectrum of human skin tones, the portraits in this project can begin from a place of justice and authenticity. Instead of being corrected toward a narrow standard, it helps ensure that each subject is portrayed with the dignity, nuance, and honesty required by the project.
From Nairobi to the World: One Hundred Ways to See Humanity
"100 Portraits of Becoming" begins in Kenya for a reason. Kenya, known as the "Silicon Savannah" and home to one of the world's youngest populations, represents a future that is already being shaped by the younger generation here, not elsewhere. From setting the standard for mobile financial inclusion to encouraging regional innovation across industries, Kenya has long challenged assumptions about where progress begins. However, representation often fails to capture reality and is replaced by assumptions. In international media and increasingly in AI-generated imagery, places like Kenya are still far too often framed by inherited narratives rather than lived complexity.
In Kenya, the concept behind this project is different: individuals should be defined by the narratives they choose to tell themselves, not by the narratives others tell about them. The first portraits, which feature entrepreneurs, farmers, dancers, artists, and common creators whose lives cannot be summed up in a single narrative, reflect this spirit. They're not keeping up with the future. They are helping to define it.
“People are always quick to tell you what you are and where you fit. I stopped waiting for that. The story that counts is the one I'm writing myself.” ~Alexander Odhiambo, a Kenyan participant in “100 Portraits of Becoming” and co-founder of Solutech Limited, an enterprise software company serving manufacturers and distributors across Africa
What begins in Nairobi doesn't end there. Over the course of the next two years, "100 Portraits of Becoming" travels to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Brazil, building a living archive of people, identities, and the events that mold them. The first portraits and stories will be released in early August, marking the start of the full campaign rollout.
In the future, imaging will entail more than just seeing more. Gaining a deeper comprehension is the goal. "100 Portraits of Becoming" uses one technology, five countries, and one hundred portraits to present one hundred viewpoints on humanity, one story at a time.
For any related media queries, please contact pr.tecno@tecno-mobile.com.
About TECNO
As a global innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 markets, TECNO has been committed to revolutionizing the digital experience in global emerging markets, relentlessly pushing for the perfect integration of contemporary, aesthetic design with the latest technologies and AI. TECNO offers a wide range of smartphones, smart wearables, laptops and tablets, smart gaming, HiOS operating systems and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of “Stop At Nothing,” TECNO is committed to unlocking the newest technologies and AI-powered new experiences for forward-looking individuals, inspiring them to never stop pursuing their best selves and their best futures. For more information, please visit TECNO’s official site: www.tecno-mobile.com.
About “100 Portraits of Becoming” by TECNO and Angélica Dass
“100 Portraits of Becoming” is a global portrait project created by TECNO together with internationally recognized artist Angélica Dass. Over two years, it will produce one hundred portraits across five countries — Kenya, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil — pairing Dass’s portrait methodology with TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging technology. Each portrait moves beyond a face to the person behind it — to the lives unfolding across some of the world’s most dynamic markets. One hundred portraits become one hundred ways of seeing humanity — and one growing archive of who we are, told by the people living it. To participate in the portrait project, please visit: https://www.tecno-mobile.com/100portraitsofbecoming/.
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