Since 2013, photographer Ajamu X has set up portrait studios in select cities to create celebratory, distinctive and aspirational images mapping contributions of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer individuals, who have often been overlooked within mainstream narratives and histories. Last year MPF commissioned Ajamu to make ten new portraits, adding a Bristol chapter to the ever-evolving Fierce archive. This new work is presented in the next MPF exhibition alongside archival materials, exploring and providing more context to Black queer histories in Bristol.

Fierce: Bristol will be displayed alongside images from Fierce: London and Fierce: Toronto.

Since the 1980s Ajamu has made work in his portrait studio in Brixton, London, working with analogue technologies to create images that reflect the richness and diversity of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer sexuality. This rich practice provides the context in which Ajamu has developed his Fierce archive.

Each chapter of Fierce opens a new approach in Ajamu’s fine art practice. From the highly-lit large format London portraits (with a nod to Richard Avedon) to the labour intensive Salt printing of the Toronto images, showing how the project is as concerned with pushing artistic boundaries as it is with forming an archival record. In the resulting images we see the influence of traditional 19th century portraiture practices but also how these norms are subverted, as Ajamu breathes love, desire and fierceness into the often cold air of the portrait studio.

Fierce: Bristol saw Ajamu create a new set of portraits with Bristol-based artists, a psychotherapist, community organisers, writers, musicians and activists. Those photographed include Myles-Jay Linton and Edson Burton, both involved with the Kiki (one of Bristol’s first community groups for queer people of colour), as well as the nationally renowned author and performer Travis Alabanza, all of whom have contributed to the history of black queer existence and culture in the city.

The Fierce: Bristol exhibition also includes The Homecoming, a film by Ajamu’s longtime collaborator Topher Campbell. Made in 1995 as Ajamu prepared for his first major exhibition in his hometown of Huddersfield, the film provides a background to the artist’s varied and vital photographic career.

This exhibition brings together for the first time portraits from each chapter of Fierce.