Every year the photo exhibition plays a significant role at QueerFest and 2015 is no exception. Very soon we will present to you four unique photo projects, three of which were shot in Russia in the last couple of years.

Wolfgang Tillmans’ project "Activism as an identity"

In 2014, a German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans came to St. Petersburg to shoot a photo project about the LGBT movement in Russia. The photographer met with several young men and women to take photos and record interviews about Russia’s LGBT communities and the difficulties that the open LGBT face. Tillmans was greatly inspired by activists who risk their safety and careers promoting the idea of tolerance in Russian society.

Mads Nissen’s project "Homophobia in Russia"

The Danish photographer’s project is dedicated to the legal and social discrimination, harassment and attacks on the LGBT community in Russia.
Nissen writes: "In 2013 homophobia in Russia has moved from the streets into the legal system - the State Duma unanimously passed an anti-gay law banning so-called "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations”, virtually making it illegal to organize any LGBT events, give speeches in defense of LGBT rights or to equate a homosexual relationship with a heterosexual one”.

One of the photos of the project - "John and Alex" - received an award in 2015 at the World Press Photo international contest.

Sarah Deragon’s project "Identity"

"Identity" or "The Identity Project" - a project by an American portrait photographer Sara Deragon - is dedicated to the study of the diversity of identities among the queer communities in America. The project consists of more than three hundred photographic works and will be presented at QueerFest in the form of a video installation.
"Pansexual gender fluid tomboy", "Lady-gay", "Cool queer fem mom," "Dynamic, playful transqueer", "Brainy genderqueer drag king", "Androgynous queer top" and many other real images of the identities of queer people will be introduced to you.
Note: St. Petersburg’s queer community will also have the opportunity to capture and name their sexual identity and become a part of Sarah’s project when she attends the festival in 2015.

Vincent Voignier’s project on transgenders

The project by the Franco-German photographer is dedicated to feelings and experiences of transgender people around the world.
Vincent shot part of his project in Russia.

It’s time - get ready for QueerFest!