Artists Alice Austen and other queer women at the coast unveiled in this piece

Art Pioneers Alice Austen and Lesbian Artists at the Coastline

In the vibrant artistic landscape of New York, this summer has seen a series of captivating exhibitions that celebrate the work of queer artists and honour the city's rich LGBTQ+ history.

One such exhibition, "She Sells Seashells," is set to open on September 6, 2025, at the historic Alice Austen House in Staten Island. This exhibition, featuring artworks from 12 international queer women artists, carries on the legacy of Alice Austen, a pioneering photographer from Staten Island who documented immigrant ships coming into New York at the turn of the century.

Austen's house was more than just a home; it was a waterfront sanctuary for Austen and her close circle of queer female friends. Her life partner, Gertrude Tate, was a constant presence in her life, and the two shared stationery with both their names on it, making no secret of their relationship. Oral history interviews from people who knew Austen and Tate understood they were a couple and they were engaged in the wider community and its clubs.

Sadly, Austen's archive had been largely hidden and inaccessible to scholars due to attempts to conceal her sexuality. However, this summer, the Alice Austen House Museum arranged for the repatriation of a near complete archive of Austen's photographs, an archive that had resided in Staten Island's Historic Richmond Town museum complex for more than 80 years.

The ten international women artists featured in the "She Sells Seashells" exhibition are: Ana Tijoux, Hayv Kahraman, Kimsooja, Lubaina Himid, Maria Thereza Alves, Martine Gutierrez, Yto Barrada, Zoë Buckman, Shirin Neshat, and Tracey Moffatt. Each artist engages with the sea, a symbol of freedom and escape for many queer artists, in their unique and powerful ways.

Elsewhere in the city, "Life is Drag," a solo exhibition of new work by Brooklyn-based artist Rachel Rampleman, is on view at SoMad, a femme and queer-led multidisciplinary art space.

The sea also plays a significant role in another exhibition, "Fire Island Invasion: Day of Independence," a photography book by Anderson Zaca. The book celebrates the annual event taking place on Fire Island, New York, where hundreds of drag queens descend to commemorate and celebrate an original act of protest.

The sea's universality and limitless potential have made it a common subject across Modern art. In the late 19th century, acceptance of LGBTQ+ lifestyles was shifting backwards, but women like Alice Austen had more freedom due to societal norms that didn't consider women to have a sexuality. This freedom allowed Austen to capture the sea's beauty and the spirit of her community in her photographs.

Meanwhile, at The New York Historical, "The Gay Harlem Renaissance" exhibition examines the Black LGBTQ+ artists, writers, and performers central to the Harlem Renaissance and everyday Black gay life in the early 20th century. This exhibition highlights the vibrant and often overlooked queer culture that thrived in Harlem during this period.

Finally, Ithell Colquhoun, a British artist, is currently having her first major exhibition at Tate Britain. Colquhoun, who lived in Cornwall, was inspired by the sea and its mythology, much like the artists in "She Sells Seashells."

These exhibitions serve as a testament to the rich and diverse history of queer art and culture, both in New York and beyond. They offer a chance for audiences to explore, appreciate, and celebrate the work of queer artists and the stories they tell.