The Kings of Queen City
At 6:30 p.m. on Friday the 26th of February, in what was once contested as the most dangerous neighborhood in America, ninamdot will be debuting her photography installation to the eager eyes of Cincinnatians.
To say that ninamdot is excited is an understatement, and for good reason. Not only was she granted $15,000 from People’s Liberty to showcase and fund her work, but none of her projects in the last seven years has elicited such strong and polarizing reactions.
America has become a racially charged country. Amidst claims of media race baiting, propagandized agendas and claims of unwarranted victimization, ninmadot’s King Me goes beyond racial politics. Her target is not the police, or even people of color as a whole. It is a simple message: how Black men and boys view themselves is an important indicator of what they can achieve.
Last summer, she took a crown to the streets of Cincinnati to photograph Black men as kings, but the idea didn’t come from her. “The ultimate insult,” she said, “would be to not mention my faith. God did that.” Which makes the task of showcasing Black men in this positively reinforcing light even more important to her.
Her images seek to begin a constructive conversation in the Black community, trickling into all areas. A conversation that expresses the importance of Black men and boys seeing themselves as royalty, and knowing that they can be more than their circumstances. “King Me is important to me because it reflects men that I share a bloodline with. They could be carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders and with a nudge of ‘Yes, I acknowledge you. Yes, this is how I view you’ [as kings], their outlook on themselves will begin to shift.”
I asked ninamdot if she was worried about being offensive or divisive because of her focus on race. “No,” she stated. “Art will overcome you with many emotions. That is what I’m learning. It’s not necessary for me to acknowledge the offended, disgusted or the ‘well-I-think’ers.”
Her suggestion to anyone that sees her work as problematic? “Allow yourself to feel that, but don’t get stuck there. Let King Me change you.”
-Jasmine Lilly
If you want more information about where to see ninamdot’s work in person, click here
