Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation
SAN FRANCISCO: THE MAKING OF A QUEER MECCA
Early photos of Rink Foto and Harvey Milk
Sept 16 - Oct 24, 2009
In a classic example of having to travel in order to see one's home better, I found this documentary photo exhibit of San Francisco at the Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation in SoHo. Most interesting were photos of parades, rallies & social gatherings from the late 1970's, with optimistic portraits of Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones & Steve Smith. These give way to glimpses of 1980's Act-Up protests, die-ins & the AIDS Quilt. A photo of a policeman in a surgical mask totally made me remember that back then the sight of cops in rubber gloves & face masks was a sure sign of an AIDS rally. Closer to the present day & perhaps more hopeful, there is an amazing photo of the City Hall rotunda filled with shirtless men at a 2001 Reunion Circuit Party. The exhibit also includes a few photos taken by Harvey Milk himself.
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