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We look forward to welcoming you to the 160 Speaker Series talk, A Love Supreme, with Lola Flash onTuesday, June 21 at 4:00 p.m. in the Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium at 160 Fifth Avenue.
Flash will present a chronological deep dive into their portfolio of photographic works, which are steeped in activism concerning race, gender and identity politics.
Beauty is the theme that runs throughout each series, thereby creating a narrative that is not readily told.
In their mother’s words, “it’s like a stroll through a rose garden, thorns and all, yet at the end, one reaps a bouquet of beautiful flowers”.
This event is brought to you in collaboration with the Simons Foundation’s PRIDE and Black ERGs in hope of encouraging a time of reflection and conversation around Pride Month, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a series of demonstrations in protest of the of many police raids on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community. When members of the community fought back against discrimination and brutality, their actions transformed local efforts into a national movement that soon went international and still lives on today to recognize the significant impact members of the LGBTQ+ community have had on history.
Please take note that in a change from our standard reception, this talk will be followed by an informal round circle conversation with Flash which will be guided by members of these ERGs.
This portion of the event will take place on the promenade outside of the auditorium so that staff can enjoy refreshments while they listen to the continued conversation.
Event Schedule:
4:00 – 5:00 PM - Lola’s talk will be followed by a brief Q&A in the GDFA
5:00 – 5:15 PM -Intermission so staff who need to leave are able and those who wish to stay can grab refreshments
5:15 – 6:00 PM - Informal Round Circle Conversation with Lola on the promenade
Speaker Bio:
Working at the forefront of genderqueer visual politics for more than four decades, photographer Lola Flash’s work challenges stereotypes and gender, sexual, and racial preconceptions. Flash received their bachelor's degree from Maryland Institute and their Master’s from London College of Printing, in the UK. An active member of ACT UP during the time of the AIDS epidemic in New York City, Flash was notably featured in the 1989 “Kissing Doesn’t Kill” poster. Their art and activism are profoundly connected, fueling a lifelong commitment to visibility and preserving the legacy of LGBTQIA+ and communities of color worldwide. In 2008, they were a resident at Lightwork, and in 2011 Flash was awarded an Art Matters grant, which allowed them to further two projects, in Brazil andLondon. Flash was nominated for the BOFFO Residency and spent part of last summer in Fire Island, New York. In October, Flash will be in residence at AIRIE in the Everglades.
Flash has work included in important collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, MoMA, the Whitney, Brooklyn Museum and the National African American Museum of History and Culture. They are currently a proud member of the Kamoinge Collective and on the board at QueerIArt.
Flash works primarily in portraiture, engaging those who are often deemed invisible. Recently, they have delved into the digital photography world and are a Fujifilm Collaborator. Flash’s practice is firmly rooted in social justice advocacy around sexual, racial, and cultural difference.
Flash’s work welcomes audiences who are willing to not only look but see.
The Simons Foundation’s 160 Speaker Series is an internal lecture series for Simons Foundation, Euclidean, Gradian, Felicity House, Foundation for a Just Society, and Math for America staff. All staff are encouraged to make every effort to attend these special events.
Questions? Contact ewood@simonsfoundation.org
We hope to see you there!
The 160 Speaker Series Committee
160 Speaker Series Committee