Black and queer identities in Nii Journal
Published by London-based photographer Campbell Addy, Nii Journal is an outlet for his own work, and an opportunity for him to showcase the work of others. The magazine has always considered the themes of queerness and Blackness, but in this fourth issue they’re seen through the prism of Ghana’s recent legislation, which further outlaws LGBTQIA+ relationships in the country. Campbell is Ghanaian, and the conspicuous question mark on the issue’s theme of ‘Pride?’ shows that he’s having difficulty reconciling his own identity with his country’s politics, and the enormous harm already being caused by the laws.
I was struck by the darkness of this issue – when I first saw the cover I didn’t register it as featuring the Ghanaian flag, because the green is so dark that it almost looks black. The edges of the magazine have been painted black too, further emphasising the dark tones. But there’s also light amongst the pages, with hopeful and unequivocally proud stories, and I particularly enjoyed the mini-focus on Japan, which subtly reframes the question of race. As always, the deeply personal approach of this magazine helps to ensure that it remains fresh and inspiring, even when dealing with the darkest subject matter.
