Lesbian Connexion

Discussion of Exhibition by the Artists
Saturday, June 9; 11 am
Tickets: $10
Location: SomArts, 934 Brannan St @ 8th St
Phone for Tickets: NQAF: 415.552.7709, Buy Tickets onLine: NQAFestivalTickets

Lesbian ConneXion/s Debuting in the United States as part of this year’s National Queer Arts Festival, Lesbian ConneXion/s is a traveling photo exhibit that captures the variety of lifestyles, options, meanings, and visions that exist in lesbian circles. By presenting images created by Western, Eastern, and Southern European artists, the exhibition moves from the artist’s individual cultural reference points to an exploration of lesbian diversity. In 1995, photographers Marian Bakker and Traude Buhrmann invited photographers all over Europe to submit work on any subject as long as there was a lesbian connection. The result is this traveling exhibition of images created by 60 photographers from 15 countries.

Marlo Brockmans, “Double Self-Portrait.”

Lesbian ConneXion/s opened at the 1998 Gay Games in Amsterdam. Some 4,000 enthusiastic visitors were confronted with a juxtaposition of artistic compositions and illegally shot photos with an implicit political intent. Images of well-established lesbian families were combined with work from artists whose participation was their first overt lesbian act. Two years later, Lesbian ConneXion/s is still touring Europe. Success in Amsterdam and Ghent, where the mayor opened the exhibition, led to engagements in other cities. Soon the collection will be displayed in Ljubljana, Zagreb, St. Petersburg. Five members from Lesbian ConneXion/s will attend the opening reception: photographer Ditte Wessels, photographer and project leader Marian Bakker, board member Marjo van loosdregt, photographer and board member Janine van Doorn, and photographer Olga Kusakova.

	Sophie Anquez
Mariella Lo Manto, “Screaming Out.”