Kevin Anaafi-Brown is a British-Ghanaian photographer based in London, working primarily with analogue photography. As a queer artist, his work most often traces subject lines of blackness, queerness and gender and tries to expand on their traditional definitions, often displaying queer imagery through the use of vivid colours, themed settings and individual expression.

We had the pleasure of discovering Kevin through last year's Queer Frontiers open call and are thrilled to have him return as an exhibiting artist this summer.

Artiq You are one of the 12 artists who produced a limited-edition print for the exhibition. What was the inspiration behind this work?

Kevin For this piece, I was inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche. It’s a sweet tale and centres around themes of mystery, familiarity, beauty, hate, warmth, cruelty, nostalgia and alien-ness. I was intrigued by these dichotomies and wanted to recreate an image which could partly capture that sense of contrast.

Artiq You work primarily with analogue photography. Does the choice of this creative process contribute to the exploration of themes central to your work?

Kevin I guess analogue photography is one of many mediums, so it’d be difficult to say for certain if it contributes to an overarching exploration of these themes, but it does certainly contribute to my personal exploration of themes I consider central to my work. Analogue photography demands patience and requires intention, so you are forced to consider every nuance of your process – this really contributes to what I can only really describe as a particular kind of ‘stillness’ that I try to achieve in my work. It’s also a very tactile art form, so much so that the lines between subject, artist and apparatus are almost blurred, allowing for wonderful shifts in perspectives and contributing to a very satisfying final product.

Artiq How does your work expand on the traditional definition of blackness and queerness?

Kevin I think it’s more about adding yet another lens through which to see blackness and queerness. There are countless definitions of both these things, each are unique and important and there are still not enough black and queer stories so it’s important to express that.

Artiq This exhibition aimed to convey the diversity, resilience, and resistance of contemporary queer communities. Is there an emerging artist you think everyone should know about?

KevinUche Ibemere!