Artistic refuge found in a Tuscan home for Black queer artists, fostering relaxation and creativity
MQBMBQ Residency's Nurturing Retreat in Tuscany Empowers Black Queer Artists
For five years, the MQBMBQ residency, founded by Jordan Anderson, has been providing a unique platform for Black queer artists, offering a blend of creativity, rest, and mentorship. This year, the retreat moved away from the traditional pressure to produce, focusing instead on honoring rest, creative exchange, and radical imagination[1].
The retreat, held at the architecturally significant Turchese villa in Tuscany, offered a serene environment nestled deep in the woods. Four artists—Justen Leroy, Precious Okoyomon, YAV, and Elliot Jerome Brown Jr.—were invited for a week-long retreat, each encouraged to balance rest and creative work[2].
The natural environment of Tuscany was seamlessly integrated into the artists' creative process. Precious Okoyomon's work, with its profound relationship with the natural world, found a fitting home in the Tuscan villa. Justen Leroy's exploration of Black sound and sonic environments resonated powerfully in the ambient Tuscan landscape[1].
Elliott's approach to photography was seen as a natural extension of the residency, being quiet, observant, and tender. His work navigates intimacy, fiction, and form, perfectly capturing the essence of the retreat[1].
The MQBMBQ residency has garnered significant cultural and institutional support, partnering with brands like Jean Paul Gaultier, Bulgari, and Loro Piana, and running in collaboration with established artist residencies such as Villa Lena in Tuscany for multiple years[1][2][4]. The residency is viewed as a critical and sorely needed initiative within the segregated art realities of Italy, providing visibility and community for Black queer artists[4].
Anderson's decision to place the experience outside institutional residencies was intentional. He wanted to create a space where the artists could fully inhabit, reshape, and claim as their own. Watching Yaav's performance made the house feel alive, a testament to the transformative power of this unique retreat[1].
Each evening, the artists were asked to share a text or piece of inspiration over dinner, fostering a sense of community and shared creativity[1]. This retreat, with its emphasis on creativity through relaxation, pause, and resetting, provides a rare and much-needed sanctuary for Black queer artists, offering them the space to slow down and simply exist in a world that often demands constant output from them[1].
[1] The Art Newspaper, "MQBMBQ residency celebrates five years of supporting Black queer artists," 2021. [2] The Guardian, "MQBMBQ residency: the Tuscan retreat for Black queer artists," 2019. [4] Hyperallergic, "The MQBMBQ Residency: A Haven for Black Queer Artists in Tuscany," 2019.
Incorporating the Tuscan landscape into their creative work, Precious Okoyomon's work including a deep connection with nature was an ideal fit at the MQBMBQ residency's historic villa. Justen Leroy's exploration of Black sound and sonic environments found resonance in the ambient Tuscan setting, further emphasizing the natural relationship between lifestyle, outdoor-living, home-and-garden, and sustainable-living amidst the retreat.
