The Series

Lori and Tammy, 2023; pigmented inkjet print; sheet: 17 x 22 inches;
© Nolan M. Zunk

To be queer in this space, in this time, is to straddle an invisible line. On one hand, national freedoms afforded to gender and sexual minorities have never been more abundant. Simultaneously, however, a concerted effort by state lawmakers threatens the existence of the queer community. To celebrate and mourn, to hope and grieve, to exist and be silenced: such is the essence of modern queer life in Texas.

A loosely defined term contested by many in the community itself, “queer” here means the whole of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Asexual, Nonbinary and otherwise Gender or Sexually Atypical individuals. Many of the participants in this series don’t identify with the term “queer.” Nonetheless, they identify with the Queer Community itself, recognizing the unique experience of being different from societal norms in such a personal way.

With whom one shares love, with whom one engages with in sex, is of the most private choices an individual makes in their life. Yet, one does not engage in love solely in the privacy of the bedroom, the kitchen, the home. To love freely, to express one’s love freely, manifests equally in the public sphere as in private spheres. Embracing; interlocking of hands; sharing a kiss after a moment of memory: acts of love toward others in the public view represents the freedom to be oneself and to love. Dressing; speaking; existing; acts of love toward oneself in the public view represents the freedom of expression and choice to be.

Love, whether of oneself or of another entity, is mutually public and private. Intimacy realizes differently for every individual and it is not restricted to the bedroom. Love is pervasive.

Big Bertha, the 8 x 10 inch large format camera used to capture the images in Queer in Texas

Inspired by Jess Dugan’s captivating documentation of the Queer experience, Queer in Texas presents the Texan Queer population in its current form. Eight by ten inch, black and white film, the antique format upon which the images are recorded, is a delicate and rare medium in the modern consumerism of instant, digital photography. In its antiquity, the functional resolution of large format film remains untouchable. Nearly 200 years old, this original type of photography has a rich history. Practitioners ranging from Sally Mann to Ansel Adams, the massive cameras are anything but quick. Requiring specialized equipment to develop the film and enlarge or scan the negative, the large format approach inspires awe at every step.

In beginning this series, Austin-based artist Nolan Zunk (b. 1999) developed novel techniques to more effectively process large-format film. A self-taught photographer, Zunk draws on knowledge of digital,
35 mm, and 6 x 6 cm film photography in the production of Queer in Texas. Further pulling from his documentary film experience, Zunk’s work notably sets his subjects at ease, capturing a sense of vulnerability and comfort generally afforded to a trusted friend. Relocating to Texas in 2022, Zunk’s photographs highlight the breadth of the Queer Community he has met and interacted with in just a year.