For the last thirty years, Catherine Opie has explored gender and sexual identity through powerful and personal photography. In celebration of Pride Month, contemporary art gallery Lehmann Maupin is releasing a limited-edition print anthology of Opie’s formative work. A portion of the print’s sales will be donated to Callen-Lorde, an organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ healthcare. 

Opie’s portraits are a celebration of humanity, capturing the self’s truest form. In a 35mm photograph from the 1990 Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco, her work transports the viewer back in time. This archive reflects a period of liberation in Opie’s life after coming out and embracing her own identity. 

Lehmann Maupin is releasing a series of Opie’s prints, including her 2017 photograph, Los Angeles Women’s March. This image captures a protest for women’s rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial equality. It highlights the size of the crowd – masses of people gathered together under the hot sun, marching with signs that call for change. 

In today’s political landscape of both advancement and regression, policymakers continue to set barriers between queer communities and their freedoms. It is essential to look towards the artists that tell queer stories and chronicle this ongoing movement. Ultimately, Opie’s work is reflective of the LGBTQ+ community’s long fight for equality and deconstructs American identity from a distinctive lens.

You can purchase the print here.