Growing up in the black metal, hardcore and punk scenes, Lloyd became an avid fan, collecting a wealth of knowledge and love for hundreds of bands and their music. Over the years, as he’d wear his favorite band t-shirts, and as his personal style reflected the styles of the scenes, he often noticed a recurring reaction of surprise from people, and a questioning of his sincerity. 

Spurred by an aside comment from a friend, about the band posters hung around his home, Lloyd made the show ’N***** in Gothenburg’ to re-contextualize and envision himself in a world that he deeply loves, but often feels like he doesn’t have a face in. 

Elements of fantasy and reality mix throughout the paintings in this show. A remake of a Dimmu Borgir poster now includes photos of both black fronted metal bands and bands including black members. The Mayhem poster for their album ‘Live in Leipzig’ now dawns a black front-man beneath the signature black metal face paint. Easter eggs of borrowed insignias and designs from his favorite bands are found throughout the whole room, installed in a way to reflect where the posters are hung in his home. The paintings quietly subvert the questioning that Lloyd has experienced throughout his life, being made to feel like an outcast as a black man in a predominately white subculture that is often plagued with the extremes of nationalism and xenophobia. 

In ’N***** in Gothenburg’, Lloyd employs his unique making practice and signature imagery, layering laser-cut fabric and watercolor on raw canvas, to reaffirm his place in the black metal, hardcore and punk scenes that he comes from, in the heart of a city that holds such a deep and storied history of the music that he loves. 

This show marks the second part of a gallery swap between NSFW and Entrance, with the first part of the swap happening in the fall of 2022 by Ilja Karilampi at Entrance.