QueerGuru highlights koitz's outdoor photographic exhibition in Cherry Grove, featuring 33 photographs documenting two decades of LGBTQ+ life, community and cultural history on Fire Island. The exhibition, curated by Parker Sargent, incorporated QR codes and audio stories from koitz and members of the Cherry Grove community.

Logan Hardcore and Dallas Dubois at the Ice Palace pool party in Cherry grove, Fire Island | koitz photographyLogan Hardcore and Dallas Dubois at the Ice Palace pool party in Cherry Grove, Fire Island, photographed by koitz.

Check it out here

The article presents the work as a record of cultural history. It specifically describes the photographs as showing both the joy and complexity of gay life on the island and discusses the changes that have occurred over two decades, particularly following the AIDS pandemic.

For more than two decades, photographer and photojournalist koitz has documented the people, places, celebrations and everyday life of Cherry Grove and Fire Island, creating an important visual record of LGBTQ+ culture and community. His photographs capture the distinctive character of Cherry Grove, one of the historic LGBTQ+ communities of Fire Island, from its legendary celebrations and social gatherings to quieter moments of friendship, intimacy and everyday life.

The 2025 Cherry Grove outdoor art exhibition, curated by Parker Sargent and presented in collaboration with the Cherry Grove Archives Collection, brought this photographic archive directly into the community. More than 30 photographs by koitz were displayed on large banners throughout Cherry Grove, allowing visitors to encounter the history of the island while walking its boardwalks and streets. QR codes accompanying the photographs connected visitors with audio stories from Cherry Grove residents and community figures, as well as commentary from koitz about his subjects and photographic process.

The exhibition highlights the importance of Fire Island photography as a record of LGBTQ+ history. Through his long-term documentation of Cherry Grove, koitz has photographed generations of residents and visitors, iconic community events, performances, parties and celebrations, as well as the changing social landscape of the island. His work offers an intimate perspective on queer life, preserving moments of joy, freedom, self-expression and belonging while also acknowledging the complex history of the community.

For anyone interested in LGBTQ+ photography, queer history, Fire Island culture or documentary photography, koitz's archive provides a unique visual perspective on Cherry Grove and its enduring place in American LGBTQ+ history