Photographer Gerard H. Gaskin creates art, but also shines a light on people who need to be seen.
In the exhibit “Legendary: Inside the House Ballroom Scene,” his pictures tell the stories of those who participate in “the culture of house balls of the African-American and Latino gay, transgender, and queer community,” organizers say. “The work celebrates the exuberant world of artistry and self-fashioning where a frequently marginalized community can be their most vibrant and spectacular selves.”
The photos were taken at events in Philadelphia, Richmond,Va., Washington, D.C., and New York City. Gaskin has been an observer, attending balls for two decades. He was granted access by house ballroom members, who invited him into their intimate world.