Queer artists on are display at the Columbus Museum of Art

^{(left to right) John Edmonds, “The Hero” (Courtesy of the artist); George Hoyningen-Huene, “Horst, Torso, Paris” (Courtesy of the George Hoyningen-Huene Estate Archive); Martine Gutierrez, “Anti-Icon: Apokalpysis (Special Edition)” (Courtesy of the artist and RYAN LEE Gallery, New York)}

Visitors to the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) can now walk through a brand-new – and expansive – collection of photographs by and about queer artists.

“Queer Constellations: Photographs from the Aronowitz Family Collection” brings together over 150 pieces from 73 different artists, presenting a wide array of queer representation.

“What I hope visitors come away with is an appreciation of the ways that queer artists and allies have contributed to the history of photography,” said Kaitlin Booher, the William and Sarah Ross Soter associate curator of photography at the Columbus Museum of Art and the co-curator of this exhibition.

“Queer Constellations” celebrates a gift of 50 photographs from the Columbus-based Aronowitz Family, which was then significantly augmented for the exhibit by an additional 100 pieces from CMA’s collection.

The exhibition features works by contemporary queer photographers including Lola Flash, Catherine Opie, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Shikeith and Wolfgang Tillmans, alongside LGBTQ+ photographers of previous generations, such as Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Peter Hujar, George Platt Lynes and Robert Mapplethorpe.

From 1950s physique photos to a 1970s Polaroid to present-day selfies, the photos all share one subject in common: people.

“There’s an emphasis on figure, identity, portraiture, and the ways that photography has been used to celebrate individuality and identity and belonging within groups,” said Booher.

She pointed to one photo in the collection as a vibrant example: “Horst Torso, Paris.”

Taken by fashion photographer George Hoyningen-Huene in 1931, the image depicts the sculpted torso of his lover and fellow fashion photographer, Horst P. Horst, holding a javelin.

*^{George Hoyningen-Huene, “Horst, Torso, Paris,” 1931. Platinum-palladium print, 14 3/4 x 18 5/8 inches. Aronowitz Family Collection. Courtesy of the George Hoyningen-Huene Estate Archive.}*

“It has all the style and glamour of a fashion photograph, showing off [Horst’s] body in an artful way,” said Booher. “It’s both a really personal photograph of one boyfriend photographing the other, but also about the appreciation of classical antiquity and the Olympics.”

The print itself is a platinum palladium print, a process that results in no reflection in the final product.

“It’s an expensive way to make a print, so it means that Huene really liked the image and wanted it to be large-scale,” said Booher.

“Queer Constellations” opened on October 16 and runs through March 21. Booher said that early visitors – and especially queer visitors – have found the experience affirming and exciting.

“These artists have all made work about their experiences and their identities at different points in history and that continuity is important,” said Booher. “And bringing together work that celebrates queer identity is especially important right now.” 🔥

IGNITE ACTION

“Queer Constellations: Photographs from the Aronowitz Family Collection” is on display at the Columbus Museum of Art until March 21, 2027. The exhibition is included with museum admission. . The museum is free on Sundays and for all visitors under age 26. More info on their website here.
On Thursday, December 3 from 6:00-7:00 p.m., Kaitlin Booher will helm a curator-led tour of “Queer Constellations.” More info here.
On Sunday, December 5 from 2:00-3:00 p.m., the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus will perform excerpts from their upcoming holiday concert in celebration of “Queer Constellations.” More info here.