Ahead of its London iteration, we look through photographer Manuel Cardozo’s portraits from Latineo – the queer Latinx party founded in a spirit of radical inclusivity
Colombian-born photographer Manuel Cardozo was not planning on taking photos that evening; bringing their camera was an afterthought. They came to Latineo for the same reason as everyone else, to spend the night perreando with other queer Latinx immigrants of Barcelona. What Cardozo encountered that night – and what compelled them to reach for their camera – was queer ecstasy. Immortalised dancing, sweating, smoking and kissing, the clubbers captured in Cardozo’s portraits stare brazenly at the camera, encapsulating the dichotomy of Latineo: a place of both celebration and rebellion.
Latineo, a queer Latinx party focusing on FLINTA* (female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans, and asexual), founded in 2023 by Chilean immigrants Monserrat Ahumada, Colomba Molina, and Felipe Montalba, was born out of necessity. Europe is filled with queer parties that exist under the moniker of radical inclusivity when, in actuality, they pander to the cis white European male, ostracising a large part of the community. “Latin culture is very diverse from country to country, but we also have so much in common,” says Montalba. “Latineo is a space to celebrate what brings us together; a space to support each other and create a network and sense of family between people living similar difficulties here, as we do being immigrants in Europe.”
While many events boast the label of a “safe space”, only a handful genuinely embody it. When asked about the creation of a queer Latinx club in Barcelona, photographer Cardozo, tells Dazed, “I feel that big cities are crying out for a queer Latinx space. For me, it is super important that there is this appropriation of sound and space.” As the attendees of Latineo are so diverse, creating a truly inclusive environment is “a very personal experience”.
The roots of Latineo, as evinced in the photographs of Cardozo, can be traced back to its founding principle of community. Co-founder Colomba Molina explains, “We try to make the party a safe space, acknowledging that the community’s daily violence can also move into the club. In this way, I think it’s very important that a culture is being created where we all take care of each other.” Cardozo echoes Molina’s sentiment: “It’s very Latino... it‘s like when you go over to someone‘s house and feel so welcomed, it gives this sensation."
Cardozo’s photos highlight the individuals – or “iconic characters”, as Cardozo likes to say – that create the foundation of the Latineo community. The icons of Latineo are not trying to perform; rather, they are simply showcasing who they are, an act of resistance and authentic self-expression. Cardozo finds it essential to document these individuals: “During the past six years, it’s been my community and family in Barcelona. This is who I am surrounded by; I want to show and give visibility to these iconic characters.”
“It’s important to document these things,” says co-founder and resident Latineo DJ, Monserrat Ahumada, “to visualize ourselves, to show our community, to show Latinos taking care of each other in spaces where they are expressing themselves freely, and to have that on record. It makes it tangible. It’s like a statement; we want to record it, and we want to show who the people are that make up our community. In the end, it has to be recorded and shown everywhere, and the world also has to see it and know it.”
The images of Latineo are intimate, daring, and ecstatic. Sunglasses are worn at night, faces are painted, and reggaeton throbs throughout the still photos. They are a celebration of queer Latinx identity, a testament to the power of community, and a call to action – to see, to know, and to celebrate the vibrant souls who make Latineo what it is: a space of liberation, love, and defiance.
Follow Latineo on Instagram for updates. Latineo comes to London on Saturday March 9, 2024. Get your tickets here.