Artist Feature: Holding Space by Ryan Pfluger
Born and raised in New York but currently residing in Los Angeles, photographer Ryan Pfluger (he/they) holds a MFA in Photo, Video & Related Media from the School of Visual Arts. Captivated by nostalgia, his work often deals with recreating memories, memorializing objects and how sexuality and gender influences image making. Exploring what portraiture means presently in our culture, their photographs deal with the subtlety of body posture, the gaze and the role of self-portraiture. Most importantly, as an advocate, he allows his subjects to feel present and seen. An introvert at heart, photography has allowed them to feel more comfortable in different spaces and situations.
Q: Congratulations on your book, we'd love to hear about the process and why you feel this book is timely?
RP: First off, thank you. As my first monograph it’s especially meaningful that it's with this body of work. I knew from concept to execution of the work; it was going to be a large undertaking. I had been mulling over the ideas for a better part of a decade before finally taking the plunge at the beginning of the pandemic. It really felt like the right time to be taking on a body of work like this. By photographing interracial queer couples, I’d be able to have conversations about intimacy, connection and intersectionality. Initially, this seemed like a body of work I’d be working on for five years or more. While I plan to be making work in this vein for years to come, I never imagined I would create an entire book over the course of sixteen months. Nor did I realize how integral the text would be in informing the larger conversations I want to be having.
Q: How does your identity inform your approach to creating images?
RP: It’s a tricky answer. My identity informs everything I do and at the same time is just an aspect of me and my work. I’m queer and nonbinary but also cis and white. As I’ve matured and evolved as a human and artist, I’m constantly navigating where my voice fits appropriately but also where it’s actually needed.
Q: What does being seen mean to you?
RP: I always compare how I utilize photography as a form of therapy. I create in a way that is often quiet and meditative. I want the people I’m photographing to know it’s not only a collaboration but that I’m really listening to what they share with me but also seeing the small nuances in body posture, gaze and connection with me. Being seen for me is always the attempt of understanding and honoring someone, which visually can translate in many different forms.
Q: Tell us about the casting process for the book, how did it come to be?
RP: Well, I went about this a bit differently than I normally would. Usually, I seek people out on social media apps or through friends and this is the first time I reversed the process. I just put out open calls on my social and photographed anyone I could properly schedule and get to. About 90% of the couples in the book were complete strangers at the time of meeting and they specifically reached out to me to be a part of this work. I wanted to see what the culmination of that would look like instead of me attempting to curate the most intersectional group of people I could.
Q: Does feminism inform your work? If so how?
RP: Feminism has evolved over time and also continued to devolve in the treatment of trans women and women of color by some people. For me, at the core, feminism has always been not only about equality and equity but uplifting perspectives and lived in experiences of not only women but those who don’t fit into the gender binary. Since that’s how I look at the world, it informs all the work that I make and how I go about making it.
Q: Do you have any upcoming events or exhibitions you'd like to share?
RP: I will be doing a signing at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division on December 8th at 7pm as well as a signing at Book Soup in Los Angeles on November 21st at 7pm.
You can see more of Ryan’s work on their website Ryan-Pfluger.format.com or Instagram @RyanPfluger
