Milan Pride: Lives in shadow of existence exhibition
Gay Christian Africa in collaboration with Orgoglio porta venezia, il Guado e Giovanni del Guado have organized an exhibition “Vite fuori legge” freely translated as “Lives in shadow of laws” during the Gay Pride month. It reveals the challenges and difficulties queer people in most countries in Africa face on a daily basis, sometimes enhanced by discriminatory laws, and their hope for change. From 7th to 30th June, the exhibition is open to everyone in Milan at San Carlo al Lazzaretto right in front of the Catholic Church.
Activists and allies from more than seventeen African countries responded to the initiative with enthusiasm and joy. They sent beautiful, encouraging and inspiring messages to their queer community in their countries and across Africa in general, while joining the rest of the world to celebrate Pride month. An attempt of making pride a place where our lives as queer, regardless of our origins and struggles can meet and be recognized. Futhermore an invitation for everyone to reflect on our role to make every queer person feel safe and protected.
Sadly, a few hours after its inauguration one totem was torn by an unknown individual (s) and seven days later destroyed the exhibition. This act of vandalism does send a strong message to the queer community as a whole who are trying to engage a constructive dialogue on different points of view regarding Queer lives. Yet in a particular tone to the African Queer community living in Italy who lives a constant dilemma: the fear of rejection by the community of origin if they openly embrace their queerness and the discrimination based on their skin color even within the queer community.
In spite of that, the untitled queer art project this year “In the shadow of existence” exhibition, brought at Milan Pride events queer arts from African artists: Congo, Uganda and Sud Sudan. It is open to the public from 20th to 29th June at Raffles Milano (Via Felice Casati,16) from 8AM to 8PM. A form of honoring african queer creation who pursue thier dreams and hopes regardless of the wounds and the pain they hold inside. The pain that most of the time is inflicted by their loved ones, the rejection from their own communities and the indifference of the institutions. There is no doubt that the strength one holds in silence while holding dearly onto life is PRIDE. When happiness is a price one can’t afford entirely, one can learn to enjoy happiness in slices.
