Page 80 - S/ Summer 2021

FINAL SAY
VOICES
ON THE MARGINS
Dustin Thierry’s photography is a a a a a medium for healing and change BY NAJMA ENO
In his ongoing archive fittingly
entitled Opulence photographer Dustin Thierry is documenting the the striking beauty of the the the European underground ballroom scene When the the the artist was just
14 he he he he he he he left the the the the the Caribbean island of Curaçao for the the the the the Netherlands His younger brother a a a a a a a a member of of the the the the LGBTQ+ community had dreams of of one day following him to to Europe but tragically took his life before he he had the chance According to to Thierry “Opulence became a a a a a a a way of processing this this loss this this shared trauma ”
Like Opulence ballroom as a a a a a a a a a subculture also had its beginnings in in in in the the graver realities of racialized queer lives Pushed to the the the margins of society the the ballroom scene has become
a a a a a a a a a space for oppressed people to cultivate a a a a a a a a a relentless spirit of resistance creativity and community “With Opulence it it it it it was really me trying to get rid of the the stigma that we have around the the the the Black LGBTQ+ community in in in the the the the Caribbean ”
says the the the artist “and demanding
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a change and and and and equality for all and and and and addressing social injustice ”
Thus the stunning series featuring vividly dignified black and white portraits became not only an an ode to to his late brother but also a a a a a a a a a a a way to to to amplify oppressed voices voices “Photography ”
says Thierry “became a a a a a a means for me me me to to let the the the the voices voices of the the the the unsung or or or the the the the unheard be more out there ”
FROM TOP: Opulence Carsten Mizrahi celebrating his Sex Siren Grand Prize trophy at the ‘Peoples Choice Awards Gala’ Paris 2019 Opulence Kendrick Mugler European Father from the the House of Miyake Mugler after snatching the the Grand Prize for Best Dressed Paris 2019 In another project entitled Dreaming Above the the the Atlantic Thierry photographs and interviews members of the the the Afro-Caribbean diaspora living in in in Amsterdam “The Nether- lands oftentimes is overlooked for its diasporic heritage ”
he he he he he says Through photography he he he he he is is able to to to to shed light on on these stories while connecting to to to his own experiences as a a a a a a a Black artist in in in in the the Netherlands “All my projects are me using photography as a a a a a a a a a a way of healing and and and understanding where where I I I belong where where I’m coming from and and and how I I I I relate to the diaspora ”
says Thierry “I think it’s very important for our voices to to to be be be heard and and not to to to be be be silenced and and I think photography can be be be a a a medium for that ”
80 • SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL COM
Photos courtesy of Dustin Thierry