He captures queer black men in everyday scenes to ward off prejudiced sexualization
To take the photos, he gathers people together at a dinner at his house, on a trip, on a walk nearby and starts clicking. Authenticity, truth, identity, representativeness and activism in favor of affection.
The difference between the images of Clifford, a black and gay man, is that he knows how shallow and frivolous it is to present only sexualization. It goes beyond the prejudiced cliché and freezes in time common, everyday moments, full of affection, love, affection. His photos reinforce: queer black men deserve to love.
And be loved. This is how the many occasional models appear: alongside their loves, in intimate moments of a shared life. These are scenes showing the life of a black couple in all kinds of situations, as happens with every couple. Clifford banishes once and for all the stupidity that prevents us from seeing the art beyond sex in the black body.
“A lot of the images I try to create are just putting black men in settings or scenes that feel familiar,” says King. “And so the ultimate goal for me is to create images where we see these black men – whether they are masculine-presenting or effeminate – and give those images a space.”
With two exhibitions scheduled for September, one in NY and the other in Los Angeles, Clifford has been gaining more and more space in a world that has grown tired of seeing black people as sexual objects. It’s worth checking out his complete work at www.cliffordprinceking.com
Instagram @cliffordprinceking
Source: Maxima
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