In the life

  • Myles Loftin

  • In the life

  • "Myles Loftin recognizes the latent power that images hold , and seeks to utilize that power as a means for creating positive change. He is a photographer and a senior in the BFA Photo program at Parsons School of Design. With a practice that blends portraiture, fine art and fashion photography, his photos exude a feeling of vibrance, freedom and youth. Loftin’s work deals with themes of blackness, identity, and representation of marginalized individuals. His subjects are often times friends, family members and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Art is an essential part of Loftin’s life and, as an artist of color, he works to inspire other artists of color to pursue successful careers in the creative industry. "

  • Last spring, I took a course at London College of Communication and during my six months there I had a lot of time alone. Time spent trying to make sense of the realities of my existence as a 22 year old black queer man. I was thinking about the way I, and people like me, navigate society. I was also thinking about the ways we have or have not been represented within media.

    As a black queer person, conversations around representation and inclusion within visual culture become complicated. We’re often ostracized in both the general queer populous and the black community. And our inclusion in the overall canon of photography scarcely documented, despite significant contributions to history.

    “In The Life” expands upon this exploration and focuses on the exclusion of black queer life in photography. It’s queering black history by challenging the lack of visual representation accorded to queer identities. I’m creating an archive of images that black queer people can look to for solace or inspiration. The photographs depict black queer people in public and intimate settings performing everyday tasks. Extreme care is given to each photograph in order to elevate the mundanity and humanity of our collective experiences.