Featured Artists
Alejandro Ruiz
Ben Prince
Benjamin Fredrickson
Brian Kenny
Cameron Lee Pan
Carter Peabody
Clifford Prince King
Dietmar Busse
Donovan Quiroz
Francis Schichtel
Gerardo Vizmanos
Gio Black Peter
Jan Wandrag
Matt Lambert
Miguel Villalobos
Quil Lemons
Paul Mpagi Sepuya
Robert Flynt
Scott Hug
Slava Mogutin
Stanley Stellar
Stuart Sandford
Tom Bianchi
Tony Solis
Tyler Matthew Oyer
Victor Jeffreys II
Curatorial Statement
“My Romantic Ideal” is a queer photography exhibition that explores the intersections of intimacy, desire, and identity in the contemporary landscape where state-sponsored, religious and corporate homophobia and censorship are on the rise on both sides of the Atlantic.
As queer artists, we occupy spaces where love and lust collide, where fantasy and reality dissolve, and where the body becomes both a site of pleasure and protest. This collection of work from 25 established and emerging photographers—each with their unique vision, background, and experience—offers a kaleidoscopic view into the multifaceted and often contradictory nature of queer romance.
The title of the exhibition reflects the tension between societal expectations of romance and the deeply personal, rebellious, and liberating expressions of love and desire that queer artists present. Romantic ideals have historically been dictated by heteronormative frameworks, but here, we subvert and redefine them through a queer lens. Each artist challenges, queers, and reclaims the concept of romanticism in their own way, whether through intimate portraiture, raw documentation of lived experiences, or surreal, dreamlike compositions.
As a curator, I aimed to gather a selection of artists whose work resonates with the complexities of queer love, desire, and identity in their many forms. These photographers are not simply documenting a queer reality—they are creating new paradigms of romanticism, fueled by their personal journeys, struggles, and passions. Together, their works form a vibrant dialogue about the politics of love, the performance of romance, and the transformative power of queer eroticism.
“My Romantic Ideal” is not just an exhibition of photography, but a declaration of the many ways we, as queer artists, claim and redefine love—on our own terms, with all its contradictions, joys, and struggles.
Slava Mogutin
