{"id":28450,"date":"2025-04-17T20:52:17","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T20:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28450\/"},"modified":"2025-04-17T20:52:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T20:52:17","slug":"euphoric-portraits-from-londons-queer-rodeo-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28450\/","title":{"rendered":"Euphoric portraits from London\u2019s queer rodeo night"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imogen<\/a> has always been drawn to photography as a means of storytelling. \u201cFrom the moment I picked up a camera, it\u2019s always been about people,\u201d she tells Dazed. \u201cCapturing human idiosyncrasies, energy, and individuality.\u201d\u00a0At present, the narratives she\u2019s interested in are connected to London\u2019 burgeoning FLINTA and queer nightlife scene. \u201cWe\u2019re in the midst of what has been dubbed a lesbian renaissance \u2013 an unapologetic surge of sapphic visibility,\u201d she says, \u201cIt\u2019s a really exciting moment with new events, parties and \u2013 finally \u2013\u00a0 bars flourishing across London. There\u2019s an electric energy in the community and it\u2019s so much fun to document its growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

A human rights consultant by day and a photographer by night, taking pictures often functions as a creative counterpoint to the work she undertakes investigating and attempting to fix the issues in our fashion supply chains. \u201cEvery day, I\u2019m able to make a positive impact for the workers around the world making our clothes. It\u2019s rewarding, but it can get intense,\u201d she explains. Her photography work, on the other hand, has come to represent something lighter and more euphoric.\u00a0\u201cIn my [photography] work today I focus on telling queer stories and capturing authentic queer joy. I love immortalising the energy of the dancefloor \u2013 often capturing scenes that resemble modern-day queer renaissance paintings,\u201d she tells us.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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I love immortalising the energy of the dancefloor \u2013 often capturing scenes that resemble modern-day queer renaissance paintings \u2013 Imogen<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Recent inspiration has come in the form of Bonanza<\/a> \u2013 a queer rodeo club night in London which currently takes place venues The Cock Tavern<\/a> in Kennington and The Boogaloo<\/a> in Highgate.\u00a0\u201cBonanza is serving queer rodeo energy. It\u2019s where country\/pop dreams collide in the sexiest way,\u201d she tells us. Her portraits of the cxnty cowboi night \u2013\u00a0which promises line dancing to the likes of Chappell Roan<\/a> and Dolly Parton and western-themed burlesque performers, live music, drag artists and strippers \u2013 do seem to distil moments of the purest kind of joy. From scenes of dance floor elation to romantic trysts and rapt audiences, Imogen\u2019s pictures of Bonanza capture the fun, the friendships and the freedom the club night offers its devoted following. In an era when club culture is supposed to be waning, her photographs show a thriving, beloved night that regularly sells out \u2013 despite often taking place midweek.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a fun queer night that doesn\u2019t take itself too seriously. It\u2019s focused around the FLINTA community and it\u2019s amazing founder Sophie Ward has created a free-spirited, safe space for us to go full cxnty cowboy. It\u2019s genuinely become its own community and you can feel the love when you\u2019re there,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Imogen\u2019s photographs also pay tribute to the extraordinary style and creativity of the Bonanza crowd. \u201cEveryone\u2019s outfits are always incredible,\u201d\u00a0she tells us. A melange of Kiss Me Quick cowboy hats, sparkly western boots, Dolly Parton singlets, chaps, fringing (on everything), lesbian slogan tees and cowhide, Bonzanza provides a space for audacious self-expression and kitsch, cowboi maximalism.<\/p>\n

Inspired by Courteney Frisby<\/a>\u2019s \u201cvibrant high contrast images of the queer scene\u201d, the work of Michele Baron<\/a> who \u201cimmortalises intimate queer bodies in film\u201d and resident Adonis photographer Roxy Lee<\/a>, Imogen uses her camera to really try and distill what makes Bonanza so special. \u201cI love the energy of the night and capturing the carefree cxntry chaos,\u201d she says. \u201cEveryone is having so much fun which makes my job easy! The aesthetic of the night is so fun to capture with the wide array of cowboy hats and cxntry outfits. I love all the different colours and textures \u2013 from pink to leather to sequins \u2013 which really brings my photos to life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a Bonanza regular, it\u2019s not easy for her to narrow down her favourite aspects of the club night, but certain memories do endure. \u201cOne of my favourite moments was a very sexy country burlesque performance by Scarlett Whispers<\/a>. She really finessed teasing an audience full of sapphics. Capturing the reactions was so fun. I also loved Izzy Ward<\/a>\u2019s very sexy drag performance. She slayed lip-syncing Lady Gaga and morphing from nun to leather-clad dominatrix,\u201d she recalls. But one recurring juncture in the night always hits her hard: \u201cI love when the crowd learning to line dance finally have that breakthrough moment and can remember the whole routine!\u201d<\/p>\n

The next Bonanza takes place at The Cock Tavern, Kennington, on Thursday 17 April and tickets are available here<\/a>. Follow Bonzana<\/a> on Instagram here for future dates. <\/p>\n