No apologies
Non-binary creator Darkwah Kyei-Darkwah, 27, lives their life authentically and unapologetically. They strive to inspire people to connect with others and themselves
“Things happen; it’s the time and energy you give them that makes them affect you”
You’ve graced the pages of Attitude magazine before, but pretend we have never crossed paths. How would you introduce yourself?
Hi, I’m Darkwah Kyei-Darkwah, a non-binary, multi-disciplinary artist and creator based in London. I’m 27 years old, a Scorpio – vital information – and share the same birthday as RuPaul.
What is your mission statement as an artist?
To connect authentically. I don’t know if that sounds a bit wet, but I moved through life when I was younger feeling very disconnected from everything, what with having to hide parts of myself to get by as a queer Black kid. So, I want everything that I create to connect people: to connect themselves to their innermost selves, to those around them, to the issues that may or may not directly affect them and their existence, so we can, through being more connected, live more wholly.
Who did you look up to when you were growing up?
Naomi Campbell, Vanessa Williams, Lucy
Liu and Angelina Jolie. They had this power that I felt I had; like a dark, soft at times, but ultimately very powerful feminine energy that could either be very warm and loving, or slice through you like a laser.
I’ve just watched the music video for Elderbrook’s latest track, Broken Mirror, out now, which you appear in. It’s an extremely powerful piece directed by your friend Jordan Rossi. Why did you want to be involved? I connected with the lyrics. The thought of being a different person every night resonated with me. Not because I put on a new face every night, but being non-binary – and fully embracing that existence – I present in so many different ways depending on my mood and the energy I feel is most dominant/present within me that day.
There are some scenes that are difficult to watch, from people touching you inappropriately while you’re performing, to an attack sequence in an alleyway. How much involvement did you have in the treatment?
Were these moments inspired by experiences you’ve had?
Jordan told me he wrote the treatment with me in mind. So, while I may not have had involvement with the creation of the treatment, I definitely was involved. Funnily enough, the morning I received the treatment, I posted a carousel image on Instagram with my ‘Rules of Engagement’ after having been grabbed, had my hair touched and all the other aggressions and micro-aggressions having been visited upon my person. This video is not only my experience.
It’s so many of our experiences. Queer people, people who choose to live their lives outside of the ‘lines’ drawn for us by society.
Another one of your projects is titled Hair Story, A Love Letter to Black Hair. Talk us through the motivation behind the making of that.
The film is my way of reclaiming the conversation around and humanising Black hair. We watch shows like America’s Next Top Model and when a non-POC girl has her head shaved, we feel for her, but when a Black girl does, there seems to be less sympathy. I thought I would create something that spoke to other people about Black hair the way I, a Black person, feel about my hair. Ultimately, I was tired of [hearing] conversations around Black hair like it was something to be tamed or controlled… We are people, our hair is real and ours and not a threat, so rather than have anyone else talk about it – as was the case for so long – I figured we should talk about it ourselves.
Have you had negative reactions to your work?
I have trolls who come at me on Instagram from time to time. It doesn’t really phase me, though. I troll them right back. “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so” – that’s one of my favourite quotes from Hamlet and
I’ve absorbed it and use it in my daily life.
Things happen; it’s the time and energy you give to them that makes them affect you. The good comments outweigh the bad most of the time, and when the bad outweigh the good, I just have to remember that these comments still start conversation and conversation is one of the key driving forces for change.
If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t shrink yourself for anyone because you’re going to meet people who see you for you and if you water yourself down, they won’t see all of you.