Photo: Evan Benally Atwood (Diné)
Explore each photographer’s virtual gallery and the photos that honor the intimate and complex connections—historical, present, and future—of our Indigenous Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ relatives.
The following virtual galleries contain select content and images from the original. Click on any image to view it full size. Check out each photographer’s platform to see more of their work.
kalispitzer.com | @kali_spitzer_photography
This selection of images from my series An Exploration of Resilience and Resistance seeks to expand on the concept of queer intimacies to reflect on my contemplations of the last years. Indigenous relationships, queer relationships, the creation of a chosen family, the connection to kin, building intimate relationships to self, to body, and art practices, are all distinct ways to connect to both our queerness and our Indigeneity. Each image bears a connection different from the image before and the image after. These images are a heartfelt reflection of our community, culture, land, and the cherished relationships that inspire intimacy.
Larissa & their parent LG. Larissa is Nisga’a, Gitxsan, Cree, Blackfeet from the Pikuni Nation, Red River Metis, Swedish, Irish and Scottish. Their parent LG is Two-Spirit, Red River Metis/Cree/Blackfeet/Scottish/Irish.
Emerencz Merkle. Visual artist, pleasure worker, and sound artist. Cree from Chapleau Cree First Nation, Croatian, Hungarian, and English Settler.
Cheyenne Rain LeGrande. Nehiyaw Isko from Bigstone Cree Nation.
darklistedphotography.com | @darklistedphotography
Most of these photographs are very special because they all stand in a present time of who I am close to. I find that these memories I documented are very special, they were celebrated with so much joy, they gave us the opportunity to visit and hold conversations with one another, and most importantly they are very personal reflections of intimacy through self love, relationships, and this joy journey we are all on together.
The Beginning, photographed by my sister Danella Tutt.
Photograph of my Sister, Danelle Tutt (She/Her), Photographed at Mountain Hesperus (Dibé Nitsaa: One of the four sacred mountains on the Navajo Nation).
The Embracing “I will embrace myself on this earth as the sun continues to shine on my body.”
evanbenallyatwood.com | @evanbenallyatwood
Evan is a queer Diné creative making visuals that empower, uplift, and collaborate with their communities. They believe the importance of correlation between mental wellbeing and being out in nature. Within these queer intimacies, I’ve explored familial vulnerability, feminine and drag expressions that bring out inner Indigenous creativity, Two Spirit/Indigiqueer love, and ultimately, being with the land. The land will not judge nor shame you, rather, the land holds you and allows you to breathe deeply, as if affirming “you are what is right in the world”.
Shimá dóó Shádí dóó Shi
Pinar
Aiya and Letkwu
