ZAM is an international multi-media platform celebrating African creativity and new thinking. Committed to giving an edgy and contemporary viewpoint on Africa, ZAM’s content is free of clichés, platitudes or romantic notions of the continent. https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces 2026-02-20T15:06:29+01:00 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com Joomla! - Open Source Content Management 2017-12-19T13:05:54+01:00 2017-12-19T13:05:54+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/775-raymond-dakoua-01 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/e791ab626e6785062374d45b25cc6e7f.jpg" /></p>

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/e791ab626e6785062374d45b25cc6e7f.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T12:06:34+01:00 2017-12-19T12:06:34+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/790-raymond-dakoua-quote ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

<p>“There is only one freedom: the freedom to fight for freedom.”</p>

<p>“There is only one freedom: the freedom to fight for freedom.”</p> 2017-12-19T09:01:06+01:00 2017-12-19T09:01:06+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/799-raymond-dakoua-02 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

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<p>Will the LGBTI-community ever find a place to call their own? Many of the people who Dakoua documented feel at home when they are together – finding safety amongst each other. He became aware that individuals from the community are less comfortable and live less openly when they are back in spaces where homosexuality is frowned upon. “Safe spaces constitute home”, he says.</p> <p>Dakoua, heterosexual himself: "I don't represent LGBTI people. I can only speak about my journey. There are different ways to conduct a struggle. Some people march, others write. My medium is photography. (…) My camera is a storytelling tool.”</p> <p>He feels it is important to build trust between himself and his subjects, people must not feel <em>othered</em> or <em>exoticised</em>.</p>

<p>Will the LGBTI-community ever find a place to call their own? Many of the people who Dakoua documented feel at home when they are together – finding safety amongst each other. He became aware that individuals from the community are less comfortable and live less openly when they are back in spaces where homosexuality is frowned upon. “Safe spaces constitute home”, he says.</p> <p>Dakoua, heterosexual himself: "I don't represent LGBTI people. I can only speak about my journey. There are different ways to conduct a struggle. Some people march, others write. My medium is photography. (…) My camera is a storytelling tool.”</p> <p>He feels it is important to build trust between himself and his subjects, people must not feel <em>othered</em> or <em>exoticised</em>.</p> 2017-12-19T12:11:59+01:00 2017-12-19T12:11:59+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/791-raymond-dakoua-04 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/8e6a8be31a229b213cafae60019138de.jpg" /></p>

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/8e6a8be31a229b213cafae60019138de.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T12:14:13+01:00 2017-12-19T12:14:13+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/792-raymond-dakoua-05 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/b069b892c6725bd357423bc8f6c17d01.jpg" /></p>

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/b069b892c6725bd357423bc8f6c17d01.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T12:18:02+01:00 2017-12-19T12:18:02+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/793-raymond-dakoua-06 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

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<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/e071acc32c7e4befc3022bf1715b6773.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T12:19:12+01:00 2017-12-19T12:19:12+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/794-raymond-dakoua-07 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/8d967de4fb0deac392e6fc1838a87d15.jpg" /></p>

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/8d967de4fb0deac392e6fc1838a87d15.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T12:20:34+01:00 2017-12-19T12:20:34+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/795-raymond-dakoua-08 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

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<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/25da67824c9f1869e8ef3eacb5d2ced0.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T12:22:21+01:00 2017-12-19T12:22:21+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/796-raymond-dakoua-09 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

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<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/cdbf366d9f51982d2973fefc5c0ec9b1.jpg" /></p>

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/cdbf366d9f51982d2973fefc5c0ec9b1.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T10:55:11+01:00 2017-12-19T10:55:11+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/800-raymond-dakoua-12 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/3d9a979b1c7ae6adda1ab5edd6c87151.jpg" /></p>

<p><img src="https://www.zammagazine.com/images/joomlart/article/3d9a979b1c7ae6adda1ab5edd6c87151.jpg" /></p> 2017-12-19T13:10:24+01:00 2017-12-19T13:10:24+01:00 https://www.zammagazine.com/photography/3-raymond-dakoua-safe-spaces/776-credits-2 ZAM crm@zammagazine.com

<ul> <ul> <li><span class="label">Photography: </span><span class="value">From the series<em> A PLACE to CALL THEIR OWN </em>©Raymond Dakoua<br /></span></li> <li><span class="label">Artist website:</span> <a href="https://www.raymonddakoua.com" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">www.raymonddakoua.com</a></li> <li><span class="label">Text: </span>Bart Luirink and Christina Månsson with thanks to Raymond Dakoua</li> <li><span class="label">Quote: </span>Raymond Dakoua: <a href="https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/life/art/2017-02-02-exploring-issues-of-identity-through-art/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BusinessLIVE, Life/Art, 2 February 2017</a></li> <li><span class="label">Curator &amp; editor: </span><a href="https://manzoo.nl/" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">Christina Månsson</a> for ZAM. Read the introduction <a href="http://www.zammagazine.com/photography/" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">here</a></li> </ul> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li><span class="value">Liked this Photo Edition? <a href="http://www.zammagazine.com/component/civicrm/?task=civicrm/profile/create&amp;gid=13&amp;reset=1" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">Subscribe</a> to the ZAM newsletter</span></li> </ul>

<ul> <ul> <li><span class="label">Photography: </span><span class="value">From the series<em> A PLACE to CALL THEIR OWN </em>©Raymond Dakoua<br /></span></li> <li><span class="label">Artist website:</span> <a href="https://www.raymonddakoua.com" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">www.raymonddakoua.com</a></li> <li><span class="label">Text: </span>Bart Luirink and Christina Månsson with thanks to Raymond Dakoua</li> <li><span class="label">Quote: </span>Raymond Dakoua: <a href="https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/life/art/2017-02-02-exploring-issues-of-identity-through-art/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BusinessLIVE, Life/Art, 2 February 2017</a></li> <li><span class="label">Curator &amp; editor: </span><a href="https://manzoo.nl/" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">Christina Månsson</a> for ZAM. Read the introduction <a href="http://www.zammagazine.com/photography/" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">here</a></li> </ul> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li><span class="value">Liked this Photo Edition? <a href="http://www.zammagazine.com/component/civicrm/?task=civicrm/profile/create&amp;gid=13&amp;reset=1" target="_blank" rel="alternate noopener noreferrer">Subscribe</a> to the ZAM newsletter</span></li> </ul>