Growing up as a Black queer man in Arizona, American photographer Clifford Prince King rarely saw himself reflected in popular media. This absence of representation fueled his dedication to capturing his own experiences and the lives of those within his close-knit community, creating a body of work that offers an intimate and authentic perspective.
Let Me Know When You Get Home was King’s first public exhibition, supported by the Public Art Fund. His work was displayed in 330 bus shelters and newsstands across New York City, Chicago, and Boston, offering a powerful reflection on how queer people create spaces of safety, security, and belonging. These themes resonate beyond the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting a universal desire for connection and acceptance.
By placing his work in highly visible public spaces, King seeks to normalize queer presence in everyday environments, subtly making these spaces more inclusive and welcoming. In doing so, his exhibition aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Reduced Inequalities.
Despite being used to capturing the intimate lives of Black queer people within intimate spaces, for Let Me Know When You Get Home, King uses his signature film camera photographs, still with their intimate warm hues, to capture the lives of Black queer people that he encountered as he traveled through São Paulo, Fire Island, Syracuse, Vermont and the Cayman Islands.
In an interview with The Observer, King shared that the 13 photographs featured in Let Me Know When You Get Home reshaped his understanding of human connection. His nomadic lifestyle and constant travels pushed him out of his shell, encouraging him to approach people, engage in spontaneous conversations, and share meaningful experiences. Through these interactions, he not only captured moments of intimacy and belonging but also found opportunities to learn from the people he encountered along the way.
He also expressed that his goal in displaying these images is “not to challenge, but more to provide an alternative depiction of what my life and others’ lives might look like.” This aligns with King’s broader desire to foster connections. By showcasing intimate Black queer moments captured during his travels, his work reaches beyond the traditional museum or gallery audience. Instead, his viewers are everyday passersby from diverse walks of life—including those who might otherwise never engage with queer representation or even those who oppose the idea of queer people existing openly in shared spaces. By placing these images in public settings, King subtly invites reflection, understanding and perhaps even a shift in perspective.
King’s photographs are undeniably warm and inviting—beautiful in a way that compels people to stop in their tracks and take them in. Before any thoughts of socio-political context arise, viewers are first drawn to the sheer intimacy and artistry of his work. This deliberate approach allows the humanity within his images to shine through, making space for connection before confrontation. In doing so, King creates an entry point for even the most resistant hearts, offering them something to reflect on through a softer, more compassionate lens.