By Elliott Patrice
With LGBTQ+ history month coming to an end, KLTV recently sat down to interview Huddersfield’s own LGBTQ+ icon.
Ajamu X is an artist, archivist and activist born and raised in Huddersfield. Ajamu has done many things to gain notoriety within the photography world.
He is best known for his fine art photography, which explores same-sex desire and the Black male body, and his work as an archivist and activist to document the lives and experiences of black LGBTQ+ people in the UK.
Ajamu does a lot to provide a different perspective on the LGBTQ+ experience by concentrating on black LGBTQ+ issues and concerns, something mainstream media often neglects to cover.
When the LGBTQ+ experiences are voiced in the media, it often concentrates on the white/north American experiences.
Ajamu’s work bucks this trend and provides a diverse look at the LGBTQ+ experience.
His work has found its way to national and international collections all over the world; the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, Autograph ABP, and the Neuberger Museum of Art in New York. Ajamu is also a co-chair of Centred.
KLTV had the chance to speak to him during LGBTQ+ history month over Zoom, and it was very insightful.
We spoke about his early life in Huddersfield and what he thinks of the town now.
We also discussed the importance of LGBTQ+ history month and some of the things that could be done to make the month more representative of the LGBTQ+ community and its diverse range of experiences.
Check out the full interview below.