Forms of Intimacy: A celebration of Pride explores the concept of intimacy by reconceptualising sexuality, representation, and self-expression in queer photography
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Global fitness and lifestyle brand Equinox and world famous auction house Sotheby’s have collaborated on a ground-breaking exhibition. Forms of Intimacy: A celebration of Pride celebrates queer relationships, pushing the boundaries and pre-conceptions influencing LGBTQIA+ lives.
The exhibition, which will run from June 21 to 30 at Sotheby’s New York, shines a spotlight on the work of 20 trailblazing photographers and artists including Ryan McGinley, Steven Klein, Willy Vanderperre, Laurence Philomène, Emmie America and Cherry Au Hon I. At its core is an urgent desire to break boundaries and celebrate queer people across a broad spectrum of sexuality and gender, depicting marginalised people and lifestyles through the medium of photography and art.
“The many versions of intimacy shown in this art benefit project demonstrates that LGBTQIA+ people have achieved so much, though there remains much work to do,” says Shai Baitel, artistic director for the exhibition.
Alongside work by established artists such as Klein – whose dark and erotically charged celebrity portraits have made him a global star – lesser know images by a young and emerging coterie of photographers examines sexuality, representation, and self-expression from myriad and contrasting angles.
Heather Glazzard’s portraits of trans and gender non-conforming people give a gentle, poetic visibility to widely misrepresented and underrepresented groups. Meanwhile, Laurence Philomène’s autobiographical work allows people ‘to dig deeper into what it means to reclaim autonomy over our stories as marginalised individuals.’, and Emmie America’s images depict queer resistance against governmental and societal oppression.
“Equinox’s creative inspiration is realized through diverse storytelling across various art forms and culture,”says Will Mayer, executive creative director for Equinox.
“We welcome and encourage self-expression within our community to create a place of belonging, where people are themselves. We have a long history of working with iconic photographers who share this vision and spark dialogue with their approach to celebrating pop-culture through their work.”
The auction, hosted by Sotheby’s at Sothebys.com, will run between June 15 and June 30. 100 per cent of the auction proceeds will go to support Camp Felix Pride, a ground-breaking new summer camp for LGBTQIA+ youth in the New York City foster care system.
“LGBTQIA+ youth and young people are an extremely vulnerable population whose situation has been made even more precarious by the isolation and stresses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Baitel says. ”The funds raised by Forms of Intimacy will thus support Camp Felix Pride, demonstrating the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility in the form of inclusive initiatives like this.”
