The 'Sissy-photographer': Gender through the lens of Jürgen Baldiga

This LGBT+ History Month, join us in exploring gender variance via the photography of Jürgen Baldiga, the 'Sissy-photographer'.

Jürgen Baldiga referred to himself as the 'Tuntenfotograf' or the 'Sissy-photographer'. A moniker he earned for his photographs of Berlin's Tunten. Often misrepresented as drag queens, the Tunten were more than men dressed as women. In this workshop we will explore gender and its variations by looking back to the Tunten, questioning what has and has not changed in the time since these photos were taken in the late 1980s. We will discuss various terminologies, some of which are now outdated, but important for contextualising the photographs and political ideas of the time, to also try to understand the importance of language and its development. Participants will be invited to work in small groups and encouraged to discuss, debate and engage in conversations with respect and openness. The workshop is intended for all LGBTQ+ people and their allies, but also for people who want to understand more about gender and gender variance. No prior knowledge of art, art history or queer theory are required. Simply bring a pen.

This workshop will be led by Dr Cole Collins.