Building Altars: Stephen Baboon on Art, Identity, and the Haitian Renaissance

In this episode of InResidency, we sit down with Stephen Baboon—photographer, performer, and founder of Native Fruits Collective—to talk about queerness, Haiti, and the radical tenderness in his work. Baboon shares how his layered identity as a queer Haitian artist with Middle Eastern roots informs everything from his commercial collaborations to his fine art practice.

“I create in that in-between state… Identity will never be resolved. We’re complex beings.”

Together, we explore what it means to make beauty in the face of devastation, how art builds community, and why his portraits feel more like altars than images. This conversation is a love letter to cultural hybridity, chosen family, and the power of visual storytelling.

Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and all major platforms.

Read the feature article in English or Spanish with our digital magazine on the SUBstack platform https://thebureauofqueerart.substack.com