FB: Would you say mass digitisation has strengthened the influence of Pride?
RM: Yes, social media has connected queer people worldwide to locate each other easier and send the message of unity faster. One of my favourite messages Voices4 strongly implements is: ‘Queer people anywhere are responsible for queer people everywhere.’

FB: Pride is at its core a protest movement. As that sense of protest has become less confrontational and more of a celebration (in certain parts of the world), do you think there’s a risk of the movement becoming over commercialised?
RM: The first gay pride parade was held after the 69’ Stonewall Riots. The riots were a series of violent demonstrations against a police raid that targeted the gay bar The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. The parade was originally born out of a protest against discrimination than a celebration of diversity.

The rights of gay people have made great strides the past few decades, and the Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage three years ago was a major victory for our community. We still have a lot to fight in the USA, recently Trump’s transgender ban on people serving in the military.

FB: News broke this week of Pride protesters in Istanbul being met with tear gas, demonstrating there’s still a violent ‘front line’ to the movement. How has your experience of Pride differed in different parts of the world?
RM: Worldwide, we still have so much to fight for. This year Voices4 was part of the NYC Pride March’s resistance. The theme was ‘Marching for those who Cannot.’ The members told stories of our silenced queer family around the globe. Everyone wore black and held signs and carried coffins. Some of the signs read: ‘I can’t march in Italy because despite leaving home hate has followed’, ‘I can’t march in Russia because gay propaganda is forbidden’, ‘I can’t march in Beirut because police have canceled pride’, ‘I can’t March in South Korea because being in the Armed Forces means hiding my identity’, ‘I can’t march in Indonesia because loving my partner got me publicly lashed 85 times’. Hence our saying ‘When you mess with one queer, you mess with all of us.’ Voices4 is in action to try and help our queer brothers and sisters worldwide.

FB: How has an organisation like ACT-UP influenced the organisation of Voices4?
RM: Our founding member Adam Eli has said to me that the Voices4 manifesto is lifted directly (with permission) from ACT UP’s language. We are all inspired by nonviolent direct action and the success that ACT UP had with it.

FB: How does taking a photograph at a demonstration differ on an emotional level to the serenity of your cave photographs, out in the American wilderness, and how does that manifest itself in the image?
RM: I think I always have one goal for all my pictures: to create an iconic image. A photo that transcends and can visually seduce the viewer to attach them to your cause.

I approach all my projects with an open heart and a rebellious spirit, that is where my energy is born. Within this installation at Soft Opening there are a number of enlarged historical queer badges, if I could pick one to represent me, it would be ‘Punk Fag.’

Soft opening presents Ryan McGinley: Spirit of Pride runs at Unit 7 Piccadilly Circus Underground Station, from 5th – 8th July.

KOMAKINO Backpack $375

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