“The beauty of a black man loving black men”

The Beauty of A Black Man Loving Black Men was a series that explored the tender and often overlooked aspect of Black male affection and romance. In many communities, discussions surrounding Black men loving each other romantically remain scarce due to societal taboos and stereotypes. As a Black queer individual, I have personally felt the absence of representation in this regard. This love, and the many forms it comes in is a representation I crave more of. Through my artwork, I aimed to challenge these norms and celebrate the beauty of Black queer love.

My series comprised ten large-scale oil paintings, each portraying intimate and sensuous moments between Black queer men. Drawing inspiration from classical romance and my vision of what a love as unique as this could look like, each piece was accompanied by a short poem reflecting the essence of the artwork.

While I know I am not the only one who is creating with this subject in mind, my ultimate goal is to inspire pride and openness within the Black community, encouraging individuals to embrace love in all its forms. By depicting Black queer love in art, I hope to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment among my peers. This is only the beginning and I look forward to sharing more with this subject in mind.

This was my first solo exhibition and I could not have picked a better subject as the focus for it. This series was 5years in the making and came with its challenges and trials as most large projects do. The biggest highlight for me was seeing my communities show up in full force for me. Their love and support are what encouraged me to share this with the public and I will be forever grateful to them for it.