Sol Bela Mele

Sol Bela (May 1996, Bioko island, Equatorial Guinea) is a Photographer and Director stablished in Barcelona, Spain.

Sol’s work was born because of the lack of cultural references while growing up in the African diaspora and her goal is to create space for underrepresented voices in media on her creative journey.

She has wide clientele including Facebook, Adobe, Pinterest, Getty Images, Adidas, Google to name a few.

Sol Bela also collaborated and has been featured in incredibles magazines like The New York Times, I-D Magazine, Vice, Metal Magazine, Paper Magazine and many more.

EXHIBITIONS

Black is the Light, Espai Milnou, Reus, Spain April 2024.

Fragmentos en Bozal, CCE Bata (Equatorial Guinea) 2023

Fragments en Bozal (Nouvelle Photographie Afroespagnole) Dak'Art Biennale, Instituto Cervantes Dakar, Senegal, May 2022

Friends Studio x Photo Edition - Soho House Barcelona Exhibition, June 2021

HAIR STORIES EXHIBITION - Yarama Africa , A Coruña, December 2018.

HAIR STORIES EXHIBITION - Pati Llimona, Barcelona 5th - 29th October 2018

FESTIVAL CONCIENCIA AFRO - Historias de la Diáspora, September 2018

TEACHING

Master in Fashion and Advertising Photography - LCI Barcelona - Teacher - Barcelona, 2023.

TALKS & WORKSHOPS

Workshop- Proceso fotográfico de una sesión de fotos- Nau Bostik- 2023

APCP - La inclusión y diversidad racial en la publicidad española, November 2020

WORLD SPEECH DAY SPAIN - Female Minorities, March 2018

JURY

Master in Fashion and Advertising Photography - Tribunal/Judge of Final Project - LCI Barcelona - July, 2022.

GRANTS & AWARDS

Telly Award Winner - WLDKAT Silver Natural Habitat Campaign business to consumer for branded content - Director - 2022

Global Effie Awards - Gold - Media Content Associations - Show US - Dove / Getty Images - 2020
Global Effie Awards - Silver - Positive Change: Social Good - Show US - Dove / Getty Image - 2020

Gerety Awards - Bronze - Work for Good Category - Show US - Dove / Getty Image - 2020

Cannes Lions - Silver Lion - Glass: The Lion for Change - Show US - Dove / Getty Image - 2019

The Drum Social Purpose Awards: Best Content Marketing Campaign; Best Representation of Diversity and Inclusion - Show US - Dove / Getty Image - 2019