Portrait from my award winning ’Dans Le Milieu’ series.
As an artist, I believe in using my craft to shed light on important social issues and bring attention to marginalized communities. After a lot of research with help of Human Rights Watch and an invitation from local activists I embarked on a journey to West Africa to document and showcase the stories of individuals who dare to love freely, despite the harsh consequences they may face.
In this portrait series, I aimed to capture the beauty, resilience, and pride of 43 amazing, brave, and proud individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ in a region where their love is not only stigmatized, but also punished by law. Through these portraits, I hope to give a voice to those who often go unseen and unheard, and bring visibility to their struggles and triumphs.
By sharing their stories and images, I aim to challenge societal norms and spark conversations about acceptance, tolerance, and equality. I believe that art has the power to educate, inspire, and bring about change, and I hope that this series will contribute to the larger movement for LGBTQ+ rights and dignity in West Africa and beyond.
This project was a labor of love, and I am grateful to each of the individuals who shared their time, stories, and faces with me. I hope that their bravery and strength will serve as an inspiration to others, and that this series will serve as a testament to the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.
