Fire Island: Out in the Sun — Queer Photographer koitz Captures LGBTQ+ Life and Community
Venue: Verle Annis Gallery, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, California
Dates: April 24–28, 2015
Artist: koitz
Curator: Victor Jones
Fire Island: Out in the Sun presented the work of queer Fire Island photographer koitz, offering an intimate and vibrant portrait of LGBTQ+ life on Fire Island, New York. The exhibition brought together photographs made over approximately a decade, documenting the people, friendships, celebrations, performances and everyday moments that define one of America's most important queer communities.
Koitz's photographs focus particularly on Cherry Grove and The Pines, two communities on Fire Island that have played a significant role in LGBTQ+ history and culture. Through his camera, the island emerges as a place of freedom, self-expression, friendship and belonging.
Rather than portraying queer people as outsiders or curiosities, Koitz approaches his subjects with warmth, respect and celebration. His photographs are colorful, energetic and deliberately human, showing people enjoying their lives on their own terms.“I don’t want the viewer to think of my subjects as freaks or oddities but simply as people living their own lives in their own world according to their own wishes.”
A Decade of Queer Photography on Fire Island
koitz's relationship with Fire Island developed over many years. Initially drawn to the unusual atmosphere of Cherry Grove, he gradually became immersed in its social life and began photographing parties, performances and community events.
His work captures the distinctive character of the island: its wooden walkways, car-free environment, beaches, nightlife and the encounters between different generations of LGBTQ+ people.
For Koitz, photography became a way of preserving moments that might otherwise disappear. His images document not only the visual spectacle of Fire Island but also the sense of community and camaraderie that makes the destination unique.
Cherry Grove, The Pines and a Changing Community
During the years of the project, koitz witnessed significant changes in both Cherry Grove and The Pines. Cherry Grove, historically associated with a strong lesbian community and an older population, attracted increasing numbers of younger LGBTQ+ visitors and residents.
Performances, parties and cultural events helped create connections between the Grove and the Pines, bringing together people from different parts of the island.
koitz also observed changes in the Pines, including a younger generation that he felt was more open and approachable. These changes became an important part of his photographic record of contemporary Fire Island.
A History of Queer Photography
Fire Island: Out in the Sun can also be viewed within the longer history of queer photography and LGBTQ+ art. koitz's photographs connect with earlier representations of Fire Island by artists including Paul Cadmus, Jared French and Margaret Hoening French.
koitz's photographs continue this tradition from a later generation, creating another visual record of queer life, identity and community.
Photographing Queer Joy
One of the defining qualities of koitz's work is its emphasis on joy. He deliberately avoids images that exploit vulnerability or portray people in undignified ways.
Instead, his photographs celebrate confidence, beauty, friendship, performance and individuality. Drag queens, performers, partygoers, couples and friends become part of a broader portrait of queer life in which extraordinary moments exist alongside everyday experiences.
For koitz, photographing Fire Island is ultimately an act of celebration. His images invite audiences to see LGBTQ+ people not as stereotypes, but as individuals creating their own communities and living their lives freely.
Fire Island: Out in the Sun therefore functions both as an exhibition of contemporary queer photography and as a visual document of an evolving LGBTQ+ cultural landscape.