The Balcony exhibition features fourteen new portraits by photographer Ming de Nasty.
Made over a period of eight months, during 2023, with older LGBT+ residents of Shropshire, the portraits are collaborative, made with individuals who chose their locations, expressions and clothing to represent their lives and identity. The portraits speak of the gender politics of today and how people have found their identity, peace, love and friendships.
The portraits are part of a wider project which has included photography workshops, where participants have shared pictures of their younger lives. These have been scanned and documented and audio stories have been collected. This new LGBT+ collection will become a new archive at the Shropshire Archives Service.
Exhibitions curated from the project can also be seen at Theatre Severn and Shrewsbury Library. In March 2024 a curated selection will be at The Hive, Shrewsbury, as part of the LGBT History Festival.
Commissioned by GRAIN Projects in partnership with SAND.
Generously supported by Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
