PHOTOGRAPHER ADRIENNE RAQUEL DEBUTS FIRST SOLO EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK

The alluring and game-changing ‘ONYX’ premiered at Fotagrafiska

‘ONYX’ promises to be a departure from the derogatory, instead capturing a refreshing narrative of sisterhood, femininity, self-transformation and strength among exotic dancers. Commissioned by New York’s Fotografiska museum, this enticing and provocative visual exploration delves into the famed Club Onyx in Houston, Texas. Adrienne Raquel moves beyond the polish of her commercial portfolio, opting for intimate and candid lens-work.

© Adrienne Raquel

The New York based photographer presents this latest project through a series of portraits and environmental vignettes. The performers are equally vulnerable as they are powerful, in these snapshots. Raquel highlights the depths of strip club culture while honing in on the relationship dynamics between the dancers, through her signature attention to detail, ability to capture beguiling beauty, and her inimitable portrayal of glamour.

Photo: Vixxen, 2020 © Adrienne Raquel.

“For this series, I was inspired by the allure of the 1990s / early 2000s hip-hop video vixen era.  I wanted these photographs to reflect an enticing, timeless, bold visual style — all while capturing the essence of each entertainer from an empowered, artful perspective,” the artist with the museum.”ONYX tells a story in the heat of the moment — lending a true unstaged, behind-the-scenes look into the lifestyle and emotion present in each dancer’s narrative.”

Raquel’s worked alongside musicians of the moment, like Lil Nas X, Lizzo, and Travis Scott. Prior to this exhibition, her work has been celebrated in the glossy pages of many publications including V Magazine, Mickalene Thomas’ Better Nights exhibition at Miami’s Bass Museum, and Aperture’s The New Black Vanguard.

Photo: Into the Future © Adrienne Raquel.

‘ONYX’ will be on show through to August 29th. Buy your tickets online at this link.

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