BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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London’s Autograph Gallery will soon present an exhibition titled The Studio – Staging Desire, showcasing the powerful photography of Rotimi Fani-Kayode. This Lagos-born artist, known for capturing Black queer life, used his Brixton studio as a space of liberation and introspection.
His work intricately blends Yoruba spiritual elements with portraiture, exploring identity, longing, and the experiences of being an “outsider.”
Rotimi Fani-Kayode was a pioneering Nigerian-British photographer whose work delved into themes of identity, sexuality, and cultural heritage.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1955, Fani-Kayode moved to the UK with his family at age 12, escaping Nigeria’s political instability and the rising violence of the Nigerian Civil War. This displacement and cultural shift influenced his creative vision, infusing his work with themes of belonging, identity, and “outsider” perspectives.
This exhibition highlights a collection of archival photographs, some never before shown, portraying moments of intimacy and fantasy set within a complex framework of cultural and racial identity.
From 1983 until his passing in 1989, Fani-Kayode’s work focused on creating a visual language that expressed both personal and universal desires, set against the vibrant backdrop of London.
Autograph’s gallery in Shoreditch, London, will display The Studio – Staging Desire from October 31, 2024, through March 22, 2025, offering an opportunity to witness Fani-Kayode’s groundbreaking exploration of identity, art, and spirituality.
