Tell us a little about yourself.
I have been a photographer for the past 20 years. I was born in Trinidad and Tobago and came to the USA at the age of eight. Now I live in Syracuse, NY, with my wife Nimanthi and our dog Kalu.
How did you get into photography?
I got into photography about twenty-five years ago. My mother bought me a camera for my nineteenth birthday. Then I took a photography class in college and just fell in love with it.
And how did you get into photographing the Vogue Balls?
I just want to say that in the US, we call them the house and ballroom scene. Vogue is a style of dance made popular by Madonna, but a style that began at the balls. I hung out in the 42nd Street area in Manhattan when 42nd street had old rundown Broadway theaters. These theaters often played porn movies in them. I remember one of them that had a peep show in it, and that trans women who were members of the ball community worked there. This was my first exposure to possibilities of gender and sex being non-heteronormative. For example, I saw performers who had large boobs, and also penises. These performers ask us to rethink what a man or woman is. I really found this interesting. I started to make portraits of them and one of them, named Danielle Revlon, invited me to a Vogue Ball.
For anyone who doesn’t know, what are the Vogue Balls?
The balls are a space that was created by black and Latino LGBT people looking for a safe space to perform what it is to be black and Latino and LGBT in New York City. Often these balls demand elaborate costuming, and performances of gender. Performers participate in different categories, and compete with one another. Now Balls happen all over the USA and world.
What are some of your favorite memories and moments?
I think two of the black and white images I sent you capture important moments for me. One is of the Xtravaganzas winning the category “Face as a House” in 1997 at the Marc Ballroom in New York City. They created a steam-room, and had smoke coming out of the room. The competition was to “give face” and capture a mood. The other image or moment is of Baby painted in black with a white wig holding a pose. I think her pose really captured some of the sprit of the balls. She is daring and proud. The image also asks questions about race and gender as performance.
How is the Vogue Ball scene today?
The Balls are still growing now. With the internet, it’s easier for people on the scene to talk with each other and find out where balls are being held. Balls are more celebrated today than they used to be. In the past, these had to be largely underground and hidden. There is a growing ball scene in European countries like Russia, Sweden and Norway. There are Balls in Japan and South Korea too as they have spread to Asia.
And finally, if you could only save one of your photographs of all that you’ve ever taken from eternal destruction, which one would it be and why?
Wow, that’s a hard one. Maybe the image that is on the flyer for the event. It has two men. They are both wearing stylish hats. There is so much attitude in that photograph. I really love that image and I’m so happy that I made it.
• Gerard H. Gaskin will be at Queer Nation at Barcode (69 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, SE1 7TP) on Saturday 15th March from 10pm-8am.
