Celebrate Pride with Steven Klein and Ryan McGinley

Words by
Andy Morris

16th June 2022

Forms of Intimacy: A Celebration of Pride, a ground-breaking exhibition and benefit auction will go on display next week in New York.

Steven Klein, Pregnant Man #2, 2019

Steven Klein, Pregnant Man #2, 2019

Steven Klein, Pregnant Man #2, 2019

Presented by Equinox

New York city has long been a progressive refuge for those falsely deemed to be ‘other’ by society. As such it feels fitting that renowned auction house Sotheby’s and fitness giant Equinox are hosting a new exhibition on the Upper East Side. The show will run from 21-30 June celebrating LGBTQIA+ photographers and artists. The auction is currently live on Sothebys.com with all proceeds going to Camp Felix Pride, a ground-breaking new summer camp for LGBTQIA+ youth in the New York City foster care system. It's a cause close to the heart of one of the photographers in particular: Rob Woodcox, a fine art and fashion photographer, who was adopted himself and grew up in the foster care system. It feels testament to how far he has come - and how the world has changed - that his beautiful sculptural pieces are now internationally acclaimed. 

Ryan McGinley, Red Creek, 2013

Ryan McGinley, Red Creek, 2013

Ryan McGinley, Red Creek, 2013

Forms Of Intimacy: A Celebration Of Pride features work by internationally acclaimed photographers known for their work in reconsidering sexuality representation and self expression. They include Pregnant Man, shot by Steven Klein, that originally appeared in cutting edge publication Candy Magazine, as well as Matt Lambert's tender closeups of couples, Ryan McGinley's naturist survivalists, Lanee Bird's bondage fantasy and Willy Vanderperre's tender punk portraits.  Each has tackled the theme of queer intimacy, tackling the preconceptions that exist around so-called ‘alternative’ lifestyles.

For instance, Clifford Prince King sees his photography as a way to validate "LGBTQ+ folks as pioneers and cultural shifters" while Heather Glazzard’s images gently usher trans subjects into the spotlight. Laurence Philomène’s autobiographical work features a striking nude portrait in Iceland and allows them to discuss how marginalised individuals can now tell their own stories. Emmie America’s images speak of the resistance queer people will always put up against governmental or societal oppression - in her own words "
each other is all we've got."

The auction, hosted by Sotheby’s at Sothebys.com, will run between 15-30 June and shows the multitude of ways in which identity can be asserted. "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. "Indeed, 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. 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."

‘Equinox’s creative inspiration is realised through diverse storytelling across various art forms and culture,” says Will Mayer, Executive Creative Director. "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."

Forms of Intimacy: A Celebration of Pride presented by Equinox runs from June 21st – 30th at Sotheby’s New York, 1334 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, United States. Online Auction runs until 30 June 2022 4pm EDT, New York Sothebys.com.