Relationship

by Zackary Drucker, Rhys Ernst, Kate Bornstein (Contributor)

Documenting a six-year relationship with photos, video stills, letters and ephemera, this book is a stunning, intimate, and wholly original visual narrative by two rising artists who put[s] queer consciousness on the front burner. Male becomes female. Female becomes male. Life becomes art. Private becomes public. A major feature of the 2014 Whitney Biennial, this series of photographs that the New York Times called extremely provocative explores ideas of transformation both physical and psychological. It s the story of two people in love, in a culture where the notion of gender has become more fluid and at a time when trans people have never been more accepted. As both subjects and creators of these images, Drucker and Ernst, both of whom transitioned gender, represent themselves in the midst of shifting subjectivities and identities. Collectively, these photographs, which have been compared to the work of Larry Clark, Nan Goldin, and Cindy Sherman, document the story of their romantic and creative collaboration over a period of six years. Simultaneously narrative and documentary, they touch on a host of dynamics, offering autobiography as ambiguity and unraveling identity as a construction."

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, LGBT

160 pages, Hardcover

Published June 23, 2016

Reviews

[Morgan M. Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than the archive of a single relationship, Relationship captures the deep intimacy between trans lovers like nothing I've ever seen before. "Two gender outlaws against the world," to paraphrase the late great T4T philosopher Bryn Kelly.

[Cameron Sant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zackary and Rhys were a couple on the frontier of relationships--a straight couple comprised of a trans man (Rhys) and a trans woman (Zackary). The private photos they took that that comprise this book are beautiful, thought-provoking, and sometimes silly. Even though you know they won't, you can't help but root for Zackary and Rhys to work out--they seem like a perfect match, with their moody stares and luxurious lounging. These two trans artists may or may not take themselves a little too seriously--but all trans people have to take themselves too seriously--how else can we advocate for our own needs when the world denies our existence?
As a trans man who loves a trans femme person, and someone desperate for more positive representations that resemble the trans people I know and love, I appreciated and adored these beautiful photos.

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, sweet photos! Also love the essays on attraction and gender and relationship!

[Mills College Library]

770.92 R3823 2016

[Olivia Nahmias · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3 stars*
Interesting. Experimental. Gender defying.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intimate and beautiful. It's s new, old world. Be open to it. PS I know the authors. I am so proud.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Future is Now---

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and timely, but didn't do much for me personally on an esthetic level.