The beautiful artwork and images for Camden & Islington LGBT History Month 2024 are designed by photographer and photo artist Marius Els. Marius expresses his creativity in a surreal and theatrical way, using his experience and influence from when he was a classical ballet dancer to create imaginative photo illustrations.
Read Marius in his own words describing his artistic inspiration, creative process and vision for Camden & Islington LGBT History Month.
Marius Els
I’m Marius, and I’ve called London home for the past three decades. In my early years, I danced as the principal dancer with the London City Ballet Company under the guidance of Harold Kind. Eventually, my artistic journey led me to portrait photography, and from there, I delved into the realm of photo and image artistry.
Art and Imagery
Using a mix of photography and stock imagery, I create montages and collages in Photoshop. Through careful editing and lighting effects, I bring these compositions to life in a digital format, aiming for a photo-realistic or illustrative style. This creative exploration has resulted in small exhibitions, and I’ve had the privilege of contributing my skills to various commissioned designs, with forum+ being one of my favourite charities to collaborate with.
forum+ and Camden & Islington LGBT History Month
I am both honoured and thrilled to be entering my fifth year as the designer for Camden & Islington LGBT History Month. It all started in 2019 when Tessa Havers-Strong, the Director of forum+, and Aoife O’Sullivan, the Comms & Admin Officer, approached me to design a poster for LGBT History Month. The theme that year was “Poetry, Prose, and Plays.” Since then, I’ve cherished every moment working with this highly professional team. Their initiatives include hosting social groups and events that celebrate local LGBT+ life, as well as providing crucial support services for victims of hate crimes within the LGBT+ community. Unfortunately, even in today’s age, such services remain essential.
LGBT History Month 2024
The theme for LGBT History Month 2024 is “Medicine – Under the Scope.” I must admit, visualising this topic posed a challenge, but after a thoughtful discussion with Tessa and Aoife, we decided that a more abstract, rather than literal, approach would be most impactful.
My thoughts wandered to the roots of medication, the historical use of natural remedies, and the profound connection between medicine and nature. It struck me that many medicines find their origins in plants. Considering the vibrant colours of plants and flowers, I couldn’t help but draw parallels to our close connection with nature in the intricate tapestry of humanity, where gender and sexuality proudly unfold under the rich colours of the LGBTQ+ flag.
In my mind’s eye, I envisioned a flower, in the vibrant shades of the LGBT+ flag, flowering. From within its petals emerged three characters, symbolising the journey toward healing and well-being. This representation weaves together the essence of nature, the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and the healing power embedded in medical treatments.
Join me in exploring this captivating interplay of colour, nature, and the profound healing journey depicted by a flower blooming in the proud hues of our diverse LGBT+ community. Together we’ve made LGBT History Month 2024 a celebration of the beauty in our shared stories of resilience, growth, and healing.
Thank you to Marius from everyone at forum+ for creating artwork which so beautifully captures the strong and celebratory spirit of Camden & Islington LGBT History Month 2024.
