The photographer continues exploring queer lived experiences across Africa in The Royal House of Allure, tenderly documenting a safehouse for queer folk in Lagos.
Above the reception desk of Cape Town’s Blank Projects gallery, to the right of a bunch of pink irises, is a black and white photograph of Sabelo Mlangeni. In it, the photographer lies on a concrete floor, his head resting on the chest of another young man. The two are holding hands and laughing with closed-eyed glee at whatever just made them laugh.
Collison: You spent two months documenting the house and its members. What, to you, is special about the space, or spaces like these generally? Mlangeni: Aside from the housemother, Mr Morrison, there are about 10 or more people in the house. There are two bedrooms, so most of them would shift the couch and things, because people are always coming in and out. Sometimes there are 15 people. Mattresses on the floor. Also, it is self-funded. Mr Morrison is the one taking care of everything, but what I like is that he enhances the talents of the people in the house. So sometimes people will do appearances, some are designing clothes.
Collison: Judging by the image at the front of the gallery, with you laughing on the floor with one of the house members, you seemed to have built bridges of your own with the people in the house.
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