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GNOUL, ‘BODY’ IN FANG

Gnoul is a collaboration between photographer Michèle Bygodt, makeup artist Iki Lee and each of the models being portrayed.

Portrait from GNOUL, a contemporary photography series by Michèle Bygodt exploring Black identity and representation.

In this series of black and white photographs, the models are fully-covered in dark paint. This representation of Blackness is taken from minstrelsy, a form of entertainment that mocked Black people by exaggerating their physical features.

Gnoul is a witnessing of the prevailing views of what it means and what it looks like to be Black. In this work, the models are contortionists, posing in uncomfortable positions and staring daringly into the camera lens, accentuating the performance of Blackness by performing it as strange and foreign. This is a representation of Blackness that has existed for centuries.

Gnoul is a witnessing of what it means to be feared, desired, and deliberately misunderstood. It presents Blackness, rather than re-presenting it. These photographs are not mediated through the imaginations of a white gaze, or the outside gaze of anyone with more privilege.

The Bows, Calgary
Solo exhibition
Gnoul: A Benefit Exhibition for the Family of Latjor Tuel

❋ 2022

Telephone Gallery, Vancouver
Solo exhibition
Gnoul 

❋ 2021

Publication
Reflecting on The Bows’ Gnoul Exhibition: On police brutality and the experience of Blackness

❋ The Gauntlet

Publication
On visibility and the experience of Blackness // A reflection on Gnoul

❋ Reissue

From June 17 to July 9, 2022, The Bows exhibited Gnoul: A Benefit Exhibition for the Family of Latjor Tuel, who died at the hands of police violence in Calgary, the focal point of this project being his daughter and model Nyalingat Latjor, shot by photographer Michèle Bygodt.

A dark black and white portrait of a black woman, appearing to be nude looking away with sleepy eyes

Tragically, the project was conceptualized before his death and was initially aimed at encapsulating the dehumanization of Black people — how their existence and subsequent treatment has historically been whittled down to physical appearance. “When we were talking about bringing attention to Black oppression through art during the George Floyd rallies, I never thought I would be going through the same thing” said Latjor in a statement…
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Black and white photo of a person with short hair, sitting cross-legged and hugging their knees on a plastic wrap against a plain background.
A black and white photo of a person with short hair, in a crouched position, supporting their head with one hand and looking into the camera with an intense gaze.
A close-up black and white photograph of a person's torso and arm. The person is posed with one hand on their hip and the other arm bent, with fingers in a relaxed position. The image emphasizes the contours and musculature of the body.
Close-up black and white photograph of a person's face in profile with textured skin, emphasizing the eye, nose, and lips.
Black and white photograph of a human figure in a yoga pose, with arms crossed and hands resting on ankles, viewed from the back, against a plain light background.
Black and white photograph of a man with a short haircut and minimal clothing, kneeling on the floor with his arms wrapped around his legs and looking directly at the camera.
A man with a shaved head and a beard is practicing yoga, sitting on the floor with one leg extended and bent at the knee, and the other leg folded under him. He is leaning forward, supporting his body with one arm on the ground, and his other arm is
A black and white photograph of a human figure in an unusual pose, with their upper body reversed and arms extended upward, supporting their body. The head and face are upside down, and the hands are reaching out with fingers spread open.
Black and white photo of a person with light-colored dreadlocks, looking at the camera, hugging their knees close to their chest.
Black and white photograph of a person in a yoga pose, kneeling on the ground with one leg extended forward and the other bent behind, with arms raised and hands resting behind their head, against a plain white background.
A close-up black and white photograph of a person's face and hand, focusing on the forehead, eye, and fingers, which are touching the forehead, with textured skin and short hair visible.
Black and white photograph of a nude person in a yoga pose, with hands and feet on the ground and body arched.
Black and white close-up photograph of a person's chest, neck, and chin with the person's face partially visible. The person is looking upwards, with their hands resting on their face, creating a contemplative pose. The image captures the skin textur
A black and white close-up photograph of a person's hand and shoulder, showing detailed skin texture and fine lines, with the hand gently touching the shoulder.
Black and white photograph of a person in a yoga pose, kneeling with head resting on the ground and arms stretched out forward
Black and white photo of a person with dark skin balancing on one foot, with their hair in a natural afro, arms raised, and hands gracefully positioned, against a plain background.