Clemans Miyanicwe
The Bodyshape: Love yourself campaign is calling on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) individuals and their allies to be part of an awareness campaign.
This campaign by Juliart Photography is a brand that teaches people to love their own unique bodies extolling them against the critical voice within them telling them that one is not beautiful enough, says Julia Hango. On the Bodyshape: Love yourself campaign, Hango emphasises that she wanted to get to know and heal her own body thereby realising that all are going through similar inner struggles and loving one’s human existence can help such healing. “I also wanted to speak up about the taboos in society and all the beauty as well as the double standards of the society,” Hango adds.
The campaign features some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry such as Sean K, Desert Queen and Nunu Truth to Zodidi Jowel besides for well known LGBTQI activists Jholirina ‘Mama Trans” Timbo, Jay Jay Morkel and Celine Watson as well as ordinary LGBTQI individuals from various regions in Namibia. There is no cost for participation but loving oneself as the only priceless gift for taking part. Hango has previously work on See me differently Lesbian, Bi and Trans Women’ campaign with Jo Rogge and the country’s largest LGBTI organisation Outright Namibia (ORN), Body Positive Namibia #TransLivesMatter as well as Love Yourself campaign for LGBTQI edition. Those who will like to be part of the campaign can contact Hango on 0815549520 or send an IG-juliart photography/MasturbatoriumPodcast and on Facebook look for Siknature Photography.
Asked about her art pictures, which may be seen as provocative by some, Hango hits back “If you are small minded you would say what I do is controversial. Yes. Am I provocative? 100 percent. I hope I am provoking some serious change”. She notes that there is little artwork on LGBTI issues as well as by the entertainment industry at large but optimistic that Namibia is growing and she loves this.
The reason to use photography rather than other arts form is that it (photography) chooses Hango in many ways and that she simply she is just a visual artist using a camera. In some portraits some participants only have a tape on their private parts while in some LGBTQI activists and their allies proudly pose with the legendary rainbow flag.