María

Capturing in-studio María Ospina Lopez de Mesa to accompany words about her queer identity.

“I define my queerness as 'non-conforming'. This extends beyond my sexual preferences and into expectations people may have about me because of my gender, age, upbringing or anything else.

Growing up in a conservative Catholic family in Colombia, I never felt that I fitted in. In my early 20's I found kinship in a group of femme and queer friends who introduced me to cross-dressing parties, psychedelics, and films by Almodóvar and Pasolini. My world opened up and my curiosity about it took off.

I ended up moving to London in 2010 where I immediately felt at home amongst all the other immigrants and weirdos. I love that here anything goes and I can be anyone I want to be.”

Black and white portrait of a person with short, slicked-back hair, reaching out toward the camera with an outstretched hand, partially obscuring their face.
Person in a black top holding a cigarette in their right hand.
Black and white portrait of a woman with short, styled hair, smoking a cigarette, wearing a dark top, with a confident and intense expression.
A woman in a black turtleneck with short hair stands against a plain wall, casting a shadow. She has one arm raised with her fingers pointing upward.
Close-up of a person's hand holding a cigarette, with part of their arm and shoulder visible, in black and white.
A person with short, slicked-back hair reading a magazine in a black outfit, sitting against a plain background in black and white.
A black and white photograph of a woman with short hair, her eyes closed, with her hands gently cupping her face. Shadows of her hands are cast on her face creating an artistic effect.
Black and white portrait of a woman with short hair, wearing a black top, posing with one hand behind her head.
Black and white photo of a person with short hair, covering part of their face with one hand, wearing a long-sleeve top, with the other arm crossed over their chest.
A person with short, light-colored hair sits on a chair, leaning forward with one hand on their head and the other hand hanging down, with a plain background.
A black and white photo of a person with short hair, eyes closed, mouth open, smiling, holding their face with both hands, and wearing rings.
A woman in a bra and pants holding a large box on her shoulder, looking into the camera.
A close-up black and white photo of a woman with makeup applying lipstick with her finger, looking slightly upward.
Black and white photo of a woman with short hair wearing a black turtleneck, holding her head with both hands, looking towards the camera with a serious expression.