Wednesday, May 16th, 2012...3:34 pm
Just As You Are: Celebrating Queer Culture, Identity & Activism
Between 1985, and his death in 2002, Robert Girard wanted to capture the faces of gay and lesbian artists, writers and activists to document and celebrate an emergent queer culture and identity as it existed at the time. A curated collection is now on display through June 30th at the UTAC, entitled Just As You Are: Portraits by Robert Gerard.
Capturing the spirit of the exhibit, in 1997 Gerard said:
It is my wish that tomorrow, when a viewer looks into the eyes of the subjects of these pictures, he or she will say in a spirit of wonder, ‘These people were here; like me, they lived and breathed.’ So too the portraits respond, ‘We were here, we existed. This is how we were’
With the current discussion of Gay-Straight Alliances in our schools, and a push towards creating a more inclusive curriculum, it is clear that Girard’s capturing of queer activist spirit is not a merely depiction of what once was, but that those voices are still pertinent now, 10 years later. The photos document a myriad of perspectives, and capture the experiences of those who fought not only for LGBTQ rights, but for marginalized peoples within the queer community itself.
Adding to the exhibit’s 40 vintage Girard prints, 8 portraits of prominent figures in the Canadian community are also on display. The exhibit is a testament to past successes – and similarly a humbling reminder that achievement and progress does not occur overnight.
The exhibit hours are:
- Tuesday-Friday: 12-5pm
- Saturday: 12-4pm
- Closed Sundays & Mondays
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