Photos inside Houston’s most famous strip club

Photographer Adrienne Raquel captured the glitz in real life at Houston’s most famous strip club.

In recent years, pole dancing – once confined to strip clubs – has been given a chance to shine on a much larger stage; from the 2020 Grammys, when the beautiful FKA Twigs performed in tribute to the late singer Prince, to appear in large gyms. Not only that, the life of pole dancers also becomes material for filmmakers to exploit, possibly next like “Hustlers” (2019), “Zola” (2020) or “P-Valley” ( 2020)… Recently, female photographer Adrienne Raquel chose to take a closer approach when taking photos of real dancers working at Onyx – the most famous strip club in Houston, Texas, USA. The series was presented by Raquel at her first solo photography exhibition, ONYX, at the Fotografiska museum (Stockholm, Sweden) at the end of April. The exhibition celebrates black women. South – they have long been a source of inspiration in music and visual culture. Raquel sees the changing attitudes around pole dancing as a sign of a major cultural shift. “I clearly feel that this exotic dance is no longer a taboo as it used to be. Women in general are gradually showing confidence and really showing their sex appeal. It has become more normal in our society,” the photographer said in a video interview. Adrienne Raquel, who lives and works in New York, has collaborated with many international stars such as Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X and Travis Scott. She came up with the idea after visiting the club in 2017. At that time, she went to Houston for her aunt’s birthday and they chose Onyx as the party venue. Once, the experience made her cherish the dream of returning to capture the shining moments of female strippers in a candid and intimate way. She describes these women as complex, hard-working, talented individuals and extremely adept at their work. “Onyx is one of those rare strip clubs where I really feel welcome. It feels like home,” Raquel said. Raquel was mesmerized by the space covered with velvety pink and red light, and the deep and sensual shadows mingled with the dancers’ movements. “When you walk into a strip club, you’re a bit surprised at first. Then it brings a sense of debauchery. Once I got over that stereotype, I really noticed the dancers – not just in terms of their physical beauty or sex appeal, but also the relationship they had with each other.” explained. The exhibition “ONYX” is an expression of beauty, from the way the light curves around the back and heels, to the silent, contemplative moments of the women backstage. However, what Raquel wants to convey goes beyond that external beauty. “I think, there is definitely external beauty. But the way they move, walk and talk shows that they have innate confidence,” she emphasized.