Image: François Silvestre de Sacy from Are you recording?
“You can’t build a movement without being seen.” – JEB (Joan E. Biren)
This Pride Month, we at Head On want to celebrate the amazing LGBTQIA+ talent and queer stories that have been featured in the Head On Photo Festival and Awards over the years.
Photography has always been intrinsic to queer history, and the following artists exemplify how photography is a crucial tool in expressing who you are and who you love.
Jamie James
Image: Jamie James from Humans being
Non-binary, independent photographer Jamie James’ presents Humans being. Jamie’s work, held in state, national and international collections, spans three decades and is informed by how people connect, hold memory, and find identity and place. This exhibition is a personal selection from their extensive archive of queer and sex radical/fetish performance social documentary photography.
François Silvestre de Sacy
Image: François Silvestre de Sacy from Are you recording?
François Silvestre de Sacy shares the personal stories of China’s queer community in Are you recording? Even though homosexuality is no longer a crime on the mainland, people find more freedom in Taiwanese nightclubs. Here the subjects of François’s photos divulge their thoughts about their sexual orientation and hopes for the future in their country.
Thanh Vuong
Image: Thanh Vuong from In my garden, the trees are changing
Thanh Vuong is a Melbourne-based, Vietnamese-Australian artist who explores gender politics and the representation of queer identities, masculinity and the male body. His exhibition In my garden, the trees are changing contributes to the rich tapestry of homoerotic art.
Pierre Dalpé
Image: Pierre Dalpé from Wigstock
Pierre Dalpé documented Wigstock for four consecutive years (1992-1995). He documented the fabulousness of drag and disguise, in all its glorious forms. Pierre’s work captures in brilliant clarity the liberation of queer performance.
Emma Leslie
Image: Emma Leslie from Transcend – Portraits of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth
In Transcend – Portraits of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth, Emma Leslie captures 10 children aged 5-17, dressed how they feel best reflects their personality, in an environment they are comfortable in. There is nothing glaring or prodding in Emma’s images, just a celebration of youthful joy and fluid expression.
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