Butch Queen Bizarre

Jennifer. Eric Bazaar Ball. Brooklyn 1999. 

    While surfing the pages of the NY Times Lens Blog, I stumbled upon an article entitled, Being Seen Inside an Unseen World, and I was immediately drawn to the images presented in the story. Photographer Gerard H. Gaskin spent many years photographing the world of "underground house balls and late-night pageants where gay and transgender men and women compete in categories based on attitude, costume and dance moves." Some of his images were presented in color but I felt more strongly about the photos he had presented in black and white. The photo above is of a transgender male who goes by Jennifer, preparing for her on-stage moment. The way that Gerard has managed to capture the glamour and beauty of this hidden underground scene is simply mesmerizing. He seems to capture each persons true being with every photograph and has a way of catching someone's eyes at just the right moment. In the photo above I get a strong sense of personality, passion, and strength just pouring out of Jennifer by the way Gerard managed to capture her demeanor and expression at just the right moment. There is something very delicate, peaceful, and beautiful about the subjects he photographs. When first viewing the photos I was awed by the fact that the people were in fact actually men, it wasn't the first thought to cross my mind. And this is because of the way Gerard has managed to photograph each being as the person they are rather then their extravagant outer beings. There is an astounding connection between each of his subjects with the camera whether he catches their direct gaze or not. 
    The most captivating visual element of this photograph I think is the stare Jennifer is expressing and Gerard captured. While looking at the photo you get just enough detail from her outfit, and hair, and accessories, what kind of setting she may be in. Especially with the information in the background of the photo, the clutter, and the movement that seems to be going on so closely to where Jennifer is having her intense moment. It seems like she is gazing out a door or window of some sort because the reflection bounces off of her perfectly powdered face and leaves just enough information for the viewer to connect with her eyes. The most powerful statement in this photo is her eyes. Its a look of confidence, of wonder, of passion, and a quite impressionistic quality about this photo. 
    I strongly think this image does work alone, and can stand alone, but would need a bit of background info with either a caption or text of some sort. However when seeing it paired with the other black and white photos from his collection I think this photo would be even more remarkable as a series. It would stand out as a stronger photo of the series for sure but I think pairing it with other photos would help the viewer gain more info about the setting and scenario. This image really impacts my thought of 'what you see is what you get' because this may not be true. There is so much more to a person then what is right in front of you and I think Gerard's mission was to explore tearing down those exterior walls to connect with people and their inner beings. I think this project is very influential and powerful and I would like to see Gerard continue with this story/idea to see where it can lead to next. 


Maya Collins