Portraiture Shortlist

Sanctuary is a series of intimate portraits of queer, trans and non-binary individuals in their living spaces, celebrating the diversity of backgrounds within the LGBTQIA+ community. The subjects of this project include Abby, the first transgender rabbi from New York City, John, a bisexual man from Ohio who lost his left eye to police violence, Jermaine, a queer disabled activist, and Pamela, a transgender Latinx sex worker in Jackson Heights, Queens. The photographer spent time with each individual, engaging in conversation to capture authentic moments that reflect their true selves and the environments they have crafted. The interiors become as important as the people, creating an archive of objects and memorabilia that expands the narrative of the queer and trans experience. In these portraits, everyone is free to exist in their truth, away from the threats of police violence, external homophobia and politicised transphobia that remain deeply rooted in society.

Stas Ginzburg is a Brooklyn-based artist and queer refugee from Russia. A 2006 Parsons graduate, he focuses on portrait photography, emphasizing LGBTQIA+ communities and activism. His work has been featured at the Queens Museum, Photoville, and the National Portrait Gallery in London. His images are included in “Revolution Is Love: A Year of Black Trans Liberation,” a book published by Aperture in fall 2022.