Wie sieht die LGBTQIA+-Community im Jahr 2021 aus? Vielfältiger und facettenreicher als das, was die Mainstream-Werbung zeigen würden, das ist sicher. Es gibt keine Einheitsgröße, wenn es um queere Werbung geht. Der Fotograf und Regisseur Jordan Rossi zeigt in seiner Fotoserie 'Proud Nation' einen realistischen Querschnitt der LGBTQIA+-Community. Enthüllt wurde die Aktion samt eigener Webseite am 28. Juni, unterstützt von Stonewall Uprising und Models of Diversity sowie der Kreativagentur RANKIN.
'Proud Nation' zeigt ein breites Spektrum und die unterschiedlichsten Charaktere, darunter die britische Black Pride-Gründerin Lady Phyll, den Autor Riyadh Khalaf, den Stylisten und Model Kyle De'Volle, den Schauspieler Nathaniel Curtis, RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2 Star Bimini Bon Boulash und die ursprünglichen Mitglieder der Gay Liberation Front.
'I’ve always strived to create work that I wish I had seen when I was younger, and that’s precisely what this is. Representation in advertising is extremely narrow. Even in 2021. I wanted to create a snapshot of the community to reflect how it stands today. From disabled LGBTQ+ people, to those who are asexual, or even the original trailblazers who have fought for our rights, and the activists who are changing the perceptions of what it means to be LGBTQ+ in this day and age. It’s been an honor to work with and photograph so many inspiring and thought-provoking individuals,' so Jordan Rossi.
'As a charity, we have spent the last ten years campaigning for more diversity and inclusion for people of every age, size, color, ability and sexuality in the advertising industry. With more than a third of LGBTQ+ adults also identifying as having a disability, it was so important for us to collaborate on this innovative project to help highlight the intersection of disability and LGBTQ+. Both communities are seriously underrepresented in the media, and we love that this project not only represents the trailblazers of the past but also reflects the community of today. We hope these amazing images will help to combat ableism and discrimination in every area of society.'
Ein weiteres Interview mit Jordan über das Projekt gibt es auf HUNGER MAGAZINE und die individuellen Stories hinter den Portraitierten via proudnation.co.uk.
After taking English Literature at university, Jordan Rossi joined Rankin Film Productions in 2012 and began working for prolific British fashion photographer and publisher Rankin. On New Year’s Day, HungerTV premiered the video for DOPEBOYLDN’s track ‘S.O.F.B.N. (Sick Of F*cking Being Nice)’ which Jordan directed. In 2017, Jordan’s directorial work continued to gain momentum with his short fashion films ‘THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS’ and ‘Spirits of the Dead’ being selected by the London Short Film Festival and Bokeh Fashion Film Festival, respectively. In November 2017, he collaborated with queer musician Sakima on his videos for ‘DFT’ and ‘Daddy’ – the latter of which premiered with Nylon Magazine and has racked up over 400,000 views online. Jordan’s work has been featured by the likes of Hunger, Nylon, Vogue Italia, PromoNews, Desnudo Homme, Coitus, ContendMode, IntoMore, and Reform The Funk. Jordan continues to write, direct and produce his own projects while working at Rankin Film Productions and Hunger.
