A queer photography exhibition entitled A Study of Skin and Shadow is opening this Friday, June 26, in partnership with Dublin Pride. Held at The Dean Docklands, the showcase will feature work by photographers Declan Kelly and Babs Daly, aiming to champion the feeling of community, vulnerability and comfort in one’s skin.
Declan Kelly said the inspiration for these themes comes from Pride itself, explaining, “For me personally, Pride means showing up for the community. This year, that feels especially urgent.”
He continued, “We are living through a moment where queer and trans communities are increasingly under pressure, and community remains the thing that carries us through. Pride is where we show up for one another.”
That sense of visibility, vulnerability, and self-expression is what the artists are aiming to put at the heart of their exhibition. Through suggestive and bold imagery, they are utilising both light and shadow to pull back the curtain on these moments of tenderness, confidence, and becoming. Together, the works celebrate queer identity in all its complexity, creating space for reflection, connection, and pride.
Both photographers are known for their extensive and incredible work within LGBTQ+ communities. Declan Kelly has made multiple queer-focused photo and video projects in the past, with Shielded Hearts being one of the creator’s more recent pieces.
Babs Daly is an internationally featured photographer who has shown off her incredible talents in wedding, wildlife, street, portrait, landscape, sport and studio photography over her accomplished 15-year career. She is also a longtime collaborator of GCN, and recently photographed the magazine covers for issues 390, 391 and 392, as well as covering GCN’s Roast Battle Royale.
So, if you are interested in seeing these two incredible artists work together, blending their talents for a special Dublin Pride exhibition, head to The Dean Docklands from June 26 to June 28.
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