Icons & Intimacy: An Exploration of Queer Tendency

ICONS & INTIMACY: An Exploration of Queer Tendency dives into the complex and vibrant landscape of queer culture, where passion and admiration for icons intersect with intimate, often unspoken desires. This exhibition captures the essence of how queer people, often characterized by their unapologetic embrace of sexuality and freedom, celebrate their own identities through devotion to icons—figures who embody the spirit of liberation, sensuality, and self-expression. Through exploring our shared tendencies in the creation of icons in each of the photographs, we unveil the unique relationship between queer individuals and the icons they revere. These icons often appear in fantastical settings, representing ideals of beauty, strength, and defiance. The fantastical nature of our depictions serves as a powerful metaphor for the aspirational and transformative qualities that each figure embodies. For many queer people, icons provide a space to project and explore their own desires, dreams, and identities beyond the constraints of everyday reality. These settings create a visual language that elevates these icons to a near-mythical status, offering a realm where the extraordinary becomes possible and the normative boundaries of gender, sexuality, and identity can be transcended. With a bold and unapologetic openness, this space celebrates the dual nature of queer devotion: the intense admiration for public figures and the personal, intimate experiences that define queer desire. Ultimately this exhibition is a tribute to the power of queer liberation, where being a "whore" is a badge of pride and devotion is a form of self-expression.

Massimo Greco is a queer artist and director based in New York. They are a recent alumnus of the Rochester Institute of Technology, earning a BFA in Photographic and Imaging Arts. During their time Massimo’s photographic and experiential work predominantly focuses on the performance of identity in the contemporary digital world that transcends the spaces of photography, VFX, and fine art.

Silas Sims is a queer artist based in New York and Illinois. They produce hauntingly evocative imagery fueled by a curiosity to explore the intricate nuances of identity, beauty, and desire. Currently perusing a BFA at RIT, they have produced a variety of work including the books such as, Seeing G.O.D. (Girls on Drugs) and have exhibited in several group shows while attending university. They dedicate free time, outside of holding a position as a cager at RIT to supporting other artists with lighting and camerawork to better themselves and others.