Queer Lens: A History of Photography
Gay Activists at First Gay Pride Parade, Christopher Street, New York (detail), 1970; printed 2021, Arthur Tress. Gelatin silver print. Getty Museum. Gift of David Knaus. © Arthur Tress Archive LLC
Since the mid-19th century, photography has served as a powerful tool for examining concepts of gender, sexuality, and self-expression. The immediacy and accessibility of the medium has played a transformative role in the gradual proliferation of homosocial, homoerotic, and homosexual imagery. Despite periods of severe homophobia, when many photographs depicting queer life were suppressed or destroyed, this exhibition brings together a variety of evidence to explore the medium’s profound role in shaping and affirming the vibrant tapestry of the LGBTQ+ community.