Mark Seliger

Von Lintel Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of black and white photographs by New York artist Mark Seliger celebrating diversity, inclusion and equal protection for all human beings. This is the artist’s first show with the gallery.

On Christopher Street is a portrait series of transgender individuals shot between 2013 and 2016 with a medium format camera in the West Village of New York City. Bree Benz is statuesque in a black shift dress posed calmly in the center of the road. M. David Soliven’s business casual cardigan catches a few rain drops outside a row of walk-up apartments. Next to the Hudson River, Vickyana Torres cocks her head and stares straight into the lens; a burning cigarette nestled between her lacquered fingernails. Adrian Torres and Carmen Carrera stand with their two children on a curved sidewalk. Tony Zosherafatain’s curly chest hair tucks into his tight-white Fruit of the Looms.

Christopher Street is a known safe-haven for all sexual orientations and gender identities. It is home to Stonewall Inn—site of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising—recently designated by President Obama as the first national monument to honor the L.G.B.T.Q. civil rights movement.

The project comprises 72 portraits and accompanying stories published in its totality in On Christopher Street: Transgender Stories (Rizzoli, New York). Janet Mock writes in the book’s foreword, “It was in the Village, on Christopher Street and the nearby piers, where many trans and queer people first shared space with others like them. For generations, these places provided mirrors for those who rarely saw reflections of themselves. On Christopher Street, there were multitudes of potential selves: transgender, transsexual, non-binary, genderqueer, femme, butch, cross-dresser, drag king or queen, and other gender identities and sexual orientations that challenge social norms.”

Mark Seliger is the recipient of multiple awards including: Alfred Eisenstaedt, Lucie, Clio, Cannes Lions and the ASME. As Chief Photographer of Rolling Stone, he produced over 125 covers. His work has appeared in L’Uomo Vogue, Vogue Italia, Elle, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Time and GQ Magazine. Seliger lives and works in New York City.

10% of each sale will benefit Support.fm, a crowdfunding platform to help trans and gender non-conforming people in jail, prison, and detention raise the cost of bail and bond. Support.FM provides grassroots, trans-led organizations with the technology to build revolving bail and bond funds, so that organizers can more effectively and sustainably liberate community-members from pre-trial incarceration and detention. Proceeds will help Support.fm's partner organizations establish initial bail funds and will support the ongoing maintenance costs of the the platform's infrastructure.