IDENTITY | RETROSPECT Exhibition on View at L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Galleries, Now thru 11/2

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Advocate & Gochis Galleries present IDENTITY l RETROSPECT, a retrospective exhibition of photographs by photographer and filmmaker Alexandra Gibson. The exhibit includes selected images from many of her photo series, including From the Outside In, For Consumption Only, A Study of the Nocturnal Spirit, as well as from her extensive work as a journalist. Several of her short films will also be screened throughout the run of the exhibit.

With a background in both fine art photography and journalism, Gibson's images carry a strong sense of personal and editorial narrative with an eye for the surreal. Her current style represents a cross-fertilization of social realism and erotica. With 10 years of darkroom and printing study, Gibson marries the traditions of the photographic art to the digital.

Gibson spent five years photographing for Frontiers News Magazine, beginning at age 17.

At age 18 she was asked by the Matthew Shepard Foundation to photograph homeless queer youth. For one year she traveled around the U.S. and Canada with the exhibit, lecturing on the issues these youth face. California Gov. Gray Davis displayed her exhibit outside his offices at the California State Capital while trying to pass legislation to help California's homeless queer youth. The bill passed.

Later that year, during an exhibit in Ottawa, Canada, the Canadian Parliament asked Gibson to speak with them on how better to accommodate homeless queer youth in Canada. They later honored her with a humanitarian award for her efforts.

At the Gay & Lesbian Center's request, Gibson met with producers working on a film about transgender teens for the Discovery Network. She was hired as the co-director and director of photography, spending a year filming Transgender Teens, which documented the lives of teens living on the streets-many as youth prostitutes-because their families and society don't approve of them.

Gibson's photos have been published in various publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Time Out New York, Hollywood Reporter, Frontiers News Magazine, Seattle Stranger and LA Weekly.

In 2003 Gibson's photographs were included in the book A Face in the Crowd. Gibson published her first book of fine art photography, From the Outside In, in 2008; in 2011 her work was published in Mary Ellen Mark's book, Oaxaca XV.

Gibson has exhibited extensively in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. More information is available at www.alexandragibsonphotography.com.

IDENTITY l RETROSPECT, Photographs by Alexandra Gibson, will be on view today, Sept. 24 - Nov. 2, 2013. Opening reception: tonight, Sept. 24, 7 - 9 p.m. at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Advocate & Gochis Galleries, The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood (one block east of Highland, north of Santa Monica Blvd. Free parking). FREE Admission. GALLERY HOURS: Monday - Friday, 6 - 10 p.m. · Saturdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more than 40 years, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center has been building the health, advocating for the rights and enriching the lives of LGBT people. We serve more LGBT people than any other organization in the world with services ranging from LGBT specialty care to cultural arts programs; from housing homeless youth to hosting life-enriching programs for seniors. Learn more at LAgaycenter.org.