Nathan Thomas, Vogue, 2023, Photography, 400 x 100 mm
The history of vogue or voguing as we currently know it can be traced back to the 1980s in Harlem, New York, USA. This type of elaborate, stylized dance was created by Black and Latino LGBTQIA+ communities and was performed at Balls by Houses. Vogue was inspired by the high fashion poses seen on magazine covers, as well as Egyptian art, and continues to this day in popular culture. Voguing presents gender as a performance and can be seen as a way of challenging social structures such as race, gender and sexuality. It provides a sense of dignity and belonging to those whose voices are not always heard and is also sometimes used to settle ‘disputes’ between different Houses in a mutually respectful manner. Picture a world where disputes are settled respectfully …
This piece pays homage to those brave voguers who ultimately inspired one of Madonna’s most iconic songs, and to the members of the South African LGBTQIA+ community who have the balls to vogue the house down in a society that often tries to silence them.
Nathan Thomas