LAQUANN DAWSON

LaQuann Dawson is an artist and community organizer from Ohio now based in Brooklyn, NY. LaQuann currently practices as a photographer, filmmaker and director (for hire) to work on editorial, commercial, and community centered projects. He finds intimacy and joy in experimenting as a self-portrait artist, often placing himself as a central figure in his work. In addition to LaQuann’s portraiture he serves as a documentarian organizing and photographing celebratory community events that center Black and brown LGBTQ+ folks. He does this through experimental documentary, event photography and portrait booths.

LaQuann’s work often explores fantasy and eroticism. He plays with fashion, set design, lighting, story-telling, character building, and creative post-production to bring his images to life. LaQuann is interested in building worlds with his art that are filled with fantasy, joy and desire. He is deeply interested in figures and spaces that are ethereal, otherworldly, and full of color and audacity.

LaQuann and his work has been featured

in Out Magazine’s 2021 Out100 list. He's also been featured in the New York Times. LaQuann photographed and was featured in the Saks Off 5th 2023 pride campaign. LaQuann also photographed both PUMA and Poptart’s 2022 pride campaigns. LaQuann is the visual director for MOBI (Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative) and the director of MOBItalks: A Digital Series (2020). He is the creative director and curator behind Impulse Group NYC’s Our Light Through Darkness coffee table book (2021).

He has shared his work through exhibition, discussion and publication that include: Out Magazine, The Tenth Magazine, NYLON, Obvious Magazine, GLAAD, Jack’d, Grindr, Risk Magazine, fguk, Pornceptual, Fucking Young!, Kaltblut and Willow Smith’s Black Space.

laquann@laquanndawson.com

books

“our light through darkness”, impulse group nyc x laquann dawson, 2021

“notes: from a sexual object”, self-published, 2019

“lackwhen: self-portrait”, self-published, 2017

film

“mobifest”, 2021

“black in adult film”, coming in 2021

“busy being black” by lazarus lynch, 2021

“silence” by dyllon burnside for the native son awards, 2020

“stepping into control”, mobitalks part 1, 2020

“when you seek help”, mobitalks part 2, 2020

“i am wanting to be”, mobitalks part 3, 2020

“four days dead”, 2019

“we are mobi”, 2019

“a study of him”, mobifest + thegenerhouse film festival, godsbanen, 2018

“beyond the battleground”, bushwick film festival, 2018

“we are mobi”, 2019

panels and appearances

deviant events: cocktails and conversations: sex positivity, april 2022

we the culture: laquann dawson for westbrook media, coming april 2021

him podcast: co-host, 2020-2021

grindr: black queer visibility with dey pheonix, kendrick daye, timothy duwhite, nik antonio and quinn hines moderated by laquann dawson, 2021

outfest now: the obituary of tunde johnson with ali leroi and stanley kalu moderated by laquann dawson, 2020

scotch & soda: healing session with laquann dawson and kenneth courtney, 2020

ny latino film festivo futuro digital conference: like a boss: entrepreneur panel with laquann dawson, ahmad barber, michelle posada hosted by aj ramos, 2020

talkback: mobitalks: a digital series // part 1 with laquann dawson and doctor jon paul, ed.d, 2020

talkback: mobitalks: a digital series // part 2 with laquann dawson and yolo akili robinson, 2020

talkback: mobitalks: a digital series // part 3 with laquann dawson and george johnson, 2020

pratt university: “queering radical pedagogies” with laquann dawson moderated by matthew thompson, 2018

group exhibition, presentation

“mobi queer art show”, white space chelsea, 2019

“rgb” show at fredricks and mae, film screening, 2019

“the homosexual object”, fredricks and mae, brooklyn, ny, 2019

“queer as i”, here art center, ny, ny, 2019

the blkqueer romantics, the tenth magazine, hudson hall, ny, 2018

“space is the place” retreat, pa, basin and main, 2018

i am androgyny exhibit, foley gallery, ny, 2018