Championing Freedom

Championing Freedom

Part of Homotopia Festival 2018, Wake up Together at Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, offers two simultaneous shows championing the rights of individuals around the world.

The exhibition highlights the first UK showing of work by the late Chinese photographer Ren Hang (1987-2017), who endured censorship from the Chinese authorities throughout his career. The images – defined by a playful freedom to experiment – explore the sense of touch and interaction between human bodies and their surroundings. Featuring his friends posed nude within domestic urban and natural settings, the works are fearless and celebratory.

In 72 countries around the world, there are laws in place that discriminate against LGBTQI+ people. Where Love Is Illegal, an evolving international project led by Robin Hammond (b. 1975), shares personal stories from these communities through text and image, championing their rights and supporting meaningful change.

The show opens 15 November. Find out more here.

Credits:
1. Untitled, Ren-Hang, 2016. Courtesy of Stieglitz 19.
2. C. Robin Hammond, 2015.