Lola Flash Has Received Some Tales to Inform


This text is a part of Hyperallergic2024 Satisfaction Month collection, that includes interviews with art-world queer and trans elders all through June.

In 1989, photographer Lola Flash sat on the opposite aspect of the lens for what would turn into one of many decade’s most iconic photos. Flash, who makes use of she/they pronouns, kisses fellow artist Julie Tolentino in a poster of three queer {couples} and the phrase “Kissing Doesn’t Kill: Greed and Indifference Do,” a marketing campaign launched by AIDS artist-activist collective Gran Fury. The picture was distributed in a mass-mailing and plastered on buses and billboards.

Flash was already deeply concerned within the AIDS activism motion by her work with ACT UP, and whereas the photographer has served as a pillar of their neighborhood because the 1980’s, they’ve solely gained acceptance into the museum and gallery world in recent times. This was intentional, they advised Hyperallergic over the telephone. Beneath is a condensed model of a dialog that delved into the parental pleasure of turning into a mentor, discovering love, and dawning an area helmet to consider ancestors.


Hyperallergic: Are you able to talk about your entrance into the New York Metropolis artwork world? Did you’re feeling accepted there, and the way has your feeling of acceptance modified all through the many years?

Lola Flash: I received to the town within the mid-’80s. I met a mural artist named Arnie Charnick, and we did plenty of murals collectively within the East Village. I had gone to artwork faculty and thought museums and galleries have been the best way to go, however Arnie was actually in opposition to that. Since he had murals throughout, he thought he didn’t should be in galleries, and it was earlier than graffiti or related public artwork was proven in museums.

I wished to be like him, so I didn’t need to present my work in museums. I felt that museums have been about white partitions, White folks on the partitions, and White audiences. It wasn’t interesting to me and it didn’t appear to be a spot I belonged. So for years, I didn’t need acceptance from the artwork world. I wished the alternative, to be sincere. In some methods, I wished to be like a kind of artists who dies and their paintings is discovered beneath the mattress. It wasn’t about notoriety or fame or me: it was about creating an archive of my expensive neighborhood.

It wasn’t till I turned 60 that I made a decision I wished to make it occur for myself within the artwork world. I had seen a Kerry James Marshall present at The Met, and it modified my ideas on displaying my work. The viewers was nonetheless largely White, however there have been some Black folks there, too. These areas have gotten higher. Folks have been actually wanting on the work, and one woman was crying.

It made me suppose, “Possibly the world is able to see my work.” I reached out to MoMA and stated, “You should give me a studio go to”. That was the start of my life now. As soon as MoMA buys your work, the Whitney desires to purchase it, too. It hasn’t been a landfall, however there’s undoubtedly been a change in the best way folks greet me and settle for me.

H: Have you ever been in a position to domesticate relationships with youthful artists who at the moment are seeing your work?

LF: Sure. It’s one of many actually stunning issues that I by no means thought would occur to me. I’m the newly elected president of the board at Queer Arts. I’m tremendous proud to be part of it, and one in all our most stellar packages is our queer mentorship program. The founder Ira Sachs was very conscious that our era, and generations to come back, misplaced plenty of mentors due to AIDS, he created this group to fill that area.

Felli Maynard is one in all my mentees. They’re an incredible artist. They carry as a lot to the desk as I do, and it’s been a stupendous relationship that I can’t think about residing with out. I’m so happy with them, similar to a father or mother can be. I’ve had younger folks come to me with tears of their eyes thanking me for making work that lets them see themselves. I actually cherish every of these moments.

H: Did you may have mentors your self? Who do you see as your friends now?

LF: As for friends, Zanele Muholi is on the high of my listing. As for mentors and different friends, the Black photographer Anthony Barboza was one of many first folks I discovered about after I was in school. Then Gordon Parks, Carrie Mae Williams, Pamela Sneed, Michelle Agins, Naima Inexperienced, Amy Sherald, Simone Leigh, Ajamu X, and plenty of extra. And Joan E. Biron (JEB) — we’re collectively in a group present. Now we have a lot enjoyable. We’ve been doing the identical factor — specializing in the lesbian neighborhood — however in numerous elements of the world.

The present is unimaginable as a result of, to start with, it exhibits that lesbians have been right here for a very long time and are available all sizes and shapes in our bodies which might be otherwise abled. We’ve documented these folks, and I believe that’s actually essential. Once I see queer well-known stars, I typically surprise if they consider all of the pioneers like ourselves who made it attainable for them to be out and proud. Once I was a younger lesbian within the ’80s, so lots of my buddies have been nonetheless within the closet.

It’s so essential for ladies, and particularly Black ladies and queer ladies, to proceed pushing the following era ahead due to the patriarchy. Queer males photographers have been displaying because the ’70s and ’80s, however so far as I can see, they haven’t at all times stated, “Come on over.” However I see that ladies are doing that.

I’ve plenty of issues to be glad about. My household has at all times been happy with me and so they’re glad that I’m glad as a lesbian. They’ve by no means advised me to develop my hair lengthy like the remainder of my cousins. They’ve at all times been supportive. It’s the explanation I’m in a position to proceed doing this work, even when it isn’t obtained in a approach that I like; I’ve plenty of household and buddies that I can fall again on after I simply want like slightly push to get again up and maintain doing my factor.

H: What was it prefer to create your SALT and LEGENDS collection?

LF: Legends is a tribute to older queer of us in our neighborhood. Some are literally on view now at Howl! Gallery. The journey has been very cathartic. I’ve been considering of individuals like myself who didn’t have queer function fashions, so I began photographing them. We didn’t have any of the issues younger folks have now, like PREP commercials and guys kissing on TV. It’s humorous as a result of nearly all people in that collection doesn’t suppose they’re a legend.

It continues SALT, which is devoted to my mother and my grandma as a result of I by no means actually took correct stunning pictures of them with my 4×5 digicam. You may’t go backward and may solely go ahead, so I’m ladies who’re over 70. Typically I sit on the bus and suppose to myself, “I ponder what that girl did.” I do know I certainly have some tales to inform.

I take into consideration the truth that these ladies, who have been thought of so important once they have been younger, turned 25 or 30 and form of received thrown out to pasture. I wished to remind them of their magnificence. When somebody is available in entrance of my digicam, they know that I believe they’re stunning. For 2 hours of their day, they will understand their magnificence and venture it. I’m going to begin it again up once more this summer season.

For us Black folks and queer folks, significantly Black folks, it’s as if we’ve got a goal on our again. It’s quite a bit to be a Black particular person in America and to nonetheless be alive and have a way of satisfaction, and it’s one thing one can solely do this if they’ve their neighborhood round them. There’s an actual lack of older Black queer mentors in my life, so if anybody’s on the market studying, I could possibly be your mentee for slightly bit.

H: What does Satisfaction Month imply to you?

LF: It’s the month after I really really feel complete. It makes me fantasize about how completely different my life can be if queers have been the bulk.

It provides me the sensation of what it may be if the world was homosexual fairly than straight. Are you able to think about this being the norm? It could simply be so superb to have the ability to simply stroll round holding fingers along with your girlfriend wherever you need to, kissing wherever you need to kiss.

H: Do you may have a favourite {photograph}?

LF: Most likely the {photograph} of me and Julie from the Kissing Doesn’t Kill marketing campaign. It’s such an iconic picture now, however we didn’t understand that in 1989 once we modeled for it. Typically it nearly doesn’t really feel sincere to me, as a result of we’re such symbols. But it surely does make me glad that they selected us. We have been so engrossed in ACT UP. We’re nonetheless buddies; Julie’s one my members of the family now. I even have an image of my nice grandfather that’s additionally fairly superb. He’s with Booker T. Washington and Madame C. J. Walker.

H: What are you engaged on now?

LF: I at all times work on plenty of issues on the identical time, however I’m persevering with my Afrofuturism collection Syzygy. I began the collection in Woodstock, and since there aren’t plenty of Black folks there, I spotted that I wanted to be the protagonist. It’s been enjoyable to be taught from my buddies who’re efficiency artists and take into consideration my ancestors.

It’s a narrative I weave after I’m enthusiastic about the previous, however I’m additionally enthusiastic about the current. I’m carrying a jail uniform, enthusiastic about all of the individuals who appear like me who’re incarcerated. Then the helmet speaks to the longer term. I’ve additionally been doing plenty of grant writing, as a result of I actually need to go to Senegal to simply actually retrace my ancestors’ footsteps. I believe it would assist add a way of authenticity to the collection.

In some ways, the collection comprises the entire themes I’ve labored on to date — racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, White supremacy, and so on. You may examine artwork and have your notes and analysis, however on the finish of the day, there’s some type of magic that slips in. Possibly it’s the ancestors. I’m sitting on their shoulders large time.

I suppose I’d additionally prefer to put on the market that I’m engaged now to Marcia Griffin. I hated the entire thought of us turning into like straight folks and getting married. However whenever you discover your one, you need to make it everlasting. I at all times inform the younger folks, “By no means say by no means.”

H: Who proposed?

LF: I did. I had a crush on her within the ’90s after I was in London, then she got here to my present there in 2019. I assumed, “Oh, right here’s that woman I had a crush on.” That’s the way it started. It’s type of candy.

I simply really feel so blessed to have had this lengthy life. I see my buddies coping with diseases, and I’m nonetheless fairly wholesome. It’s a blessing. Once you get to my age, you’ll suppose, “Oh, that’s what Lola was speaking about.” Don’t rush it as a result of it’s undoubtedly not one thing you need to be enthusiastic about till you get to that age. It’s a wasted effort. If I’ve one message for the younger of us on the market, it’s to reside within the current. Clearly, put together for the longer term, however don’t go loopy about it.

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