Description
Drawing on one of the oldest and largest photography collections in the world, this book offers an unprecedented view of photographic history through a queer lens. It includes a broad range of global LGBTIQ+ representation from the mid-19th century to now, presenting images from pioneering LGBTIQ+ photographers and subjects alongside work documenting activism and hard-won legal battles, over a century of performance and nightlife and diverse queer communities, collectives and subcultures.
Following an introductory essay by Zorian Clayton, images are presented in six thematic chapters: Icons, Staged, Body, Liberty, Making a Scene and Beyond the Frame. Each chapter opens with a short introductory essay, followed by an extended plate section. Expanded captions highlight key images, and 'artist in focus' inserts draw on the work of selected photographers to illuminate particularly rich moments in LGBTIQ+ history. Bold proclamations of queer identity and community sit alongside personal explorations of self; documentation of struggle, joy and everyday life is considered side-by-side with performances and photographic fictions that continue to challenge the bounds of gender and sexuality. This vital, accessible volume offers an exciting, expansive appraisal of photography's role in expressing, documenting and celebrating queer life. It will be essential for all with an interest in the history of photography, but especially those with an interest in LGBTIQ+ history.
About the Author
Zorian Clayton is a Curator of Prints in the Word & Image Department of the V&A.
Lydia Caston is Exhibition Project Curator in the Department of Photography of the V&A.
Hana Kaluznick is Assistant Curator in the Department of Photography of the V&A.
Book Information
ISBN 9780500480960
Author Zorian Clayton
Format Hardback
Page Count 240
Imprint Thames & Hudson Ltd
Publisher Thames & Hudson Ltd
Weight(grams) 1460g