REPRESENT

Gorgeous LGBTQ Photography at the NY Art Book Fair

From Linda Simpson’s intimate portraits of a transgender friend to ‘Cakeboy’s, er, cheeky titles.

The most alluring aspect of the New York Art Book fair is the sheer variety of innovative art publications represented from over 28 countries. Everything from a zine to a comic book will be available for purchase from booksellers, antiquarians, artists, institutions and independent publishers.

It's an incredible platform for all kinds of artists, including those with impactful messages, to sell their work. Specifically, Pages, Cakeboy, and GenderFail are among the thoughtful publications pushing the boundaries of LGBTQ- and gender-focused art.

PAGES by Linda Simpson

Linda Simpson is an iconic drag queen and photographer, whom The New York Times calls an “accidental historian.” With an archive of over 5,000 photos, taken during the 80s and 90s, of drag performers and prominent influencers in the LGBTQ community, Simpson’s photos capture the zeitgeist of that era. She photographed everyone from RuPaul to Lady Bunny, but perhaps the most important person she’s ever captured on film is her transgender friend Page. Simpson explains that she photographed her “mysterious beauty, outlandish sense of style, and provocative performances that that made her a cult figure of downtown’s gender-bending nightlife.” She curated these profound and provocative portraits of Page, to pay homage to her dear friend, in her book PAGES.

PAGES was released in late 2013 by Peradam, and will be available at the fair.  

Cakeboy by Sean Santiago

Sean Santiago, the creator of Cakeboy, held nothing back when creating this publication. It’s “a breeding ground for disruptive faggotry” says Santiago. He's speaking to the provocative and vibrant tone of Cakeboy, in which he highlights queer arts and cultural journalism. When it comes to fashion, Cakeboy likes to throw gender out the window with an emphasis on creative collaboration with emerging designers and stylists. "Each issue revolves around candid interviews between creatives," explains Santiago. Issue 04, which will be on sale at the fair alongside back issues and merch, is titled “All The Ass That’s Fit to Print” and features a conversation on sister identities and casual sex.

GenderFail Publishing

GenderFail is an innovative platform representing queer and trans people, and people of color who want to voice their opinions through art. The creator, Brett Suemnicht, had a vision to collaborate with all types of artists—from poets to writers—who tackle cultural and political issues surrounding queerness, gender, racism. The goal was to build connections between artists, “by creating a network of creative projects that flourish outside heteronormativity” Suemnicht explains. GenderFail invites artists to contribute to their print publications, but it also encourages digital projects that live on their site, Remembertheirname.info, like the page memorializing every trans person who was murdered since 2016.

GenderFail will be selling a variety of publications from many artists at the fair.

The twelfth annual New York Art Book Fair, presented by Printed Matter, is open to the public from September 22-24, 2017.

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