Visualizing History: Chloe Sherman’s Photography Highlights 1990s Queer Roots in California, USA

San Francisco: In the 1990s, CHLOE SHERMAN created original photographs through the Von Lintel Gallery. Image source: Advocate

Renowned photographer Chloe Sherman is currently showcasing her series, "RENEGADES San Francisco: the 1990s," at the Von Lintel Gallery in Los Angeles, California, USA. Open until August 2, the exhibition provides viewers with a comprehensive glimpse into the roots of butch and femme identities, as well as the unique queer history of San Francisco.

San Francisco: In the 1990s, CHLOE SHERMAN created original photographs through the Von Lintel Gallery. Image source: Advocate

In the early 1990s, the Mission District of San Francisco, California, became a focal point for a generation of young, self-identified queers, artists, and free spirits drawn by affordable rent and a palpable sense of community. Sherman documented this era as women-owned bars, tattoo shops, and cafés proliferated, and cultural norms were eschewed in favor of a resilient lifestyle. Her work captures a wave of feminism that embraced gender-bending and the flourishing of butch/femme culture alongside transgender pioneers.

San Francisco: In the 1990s, CHLOE SHERMAN created original photographs through the Von Lintel Gallery. Image source: Advocate

Sherman’s photography has gained international recognition and is currently featured in a group show at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Her historic and Sapphic imagery is held in prominent public collections, including the National Portrait Gallery and the Addison Gallery of American Art. Over the years, her work has been featured in major publications such as Rolling Stone, Interview, and The Advocate.

North American Editorial Office: Robin