Pink Portraits Revisited
The next generation of LGBTQ+ professionals working behind the camera in film and television are being celebrated during LGBT+ History Month 2023 with ten new portraits taken by Welsh photographer Dylan Lewis Thomas. Dylan was chosen from our open call Pink Portraits commission out of a large number of extremely high-quality entries.
Dylan comments: “I’m very grateful and excited to have been selected for this commission - as a proud gay man, I’m thrilled to be photographing such inspiring and skilled LGBTQ+ talent”.
Pink Portraits Revisited can be seen across Cardiff during LGBT+ History Month in public spaces supplied by JackArts as well as buildings across the city. The project is produced by the Iris Prize Festival in partnership with Cardiff University, Ffotogallery and the University of South Wales.
The Pink Portraits Revisited project was launched by Cardiff University’s Vice Chancellor Colin Riordan at the Centre for Student Life at Cardiff University on Monday 13 February. Dylan was joined by all ten sitters during the launch and the guest of honour was LGBT+ History Month co-founder Sue Sanders.
Ben Lewis, Director of Student Life at Cardiff University said: “This is a great project for Cardiff University to get involved with during LGBT+ History Month, especially as it is being put together by the Iris Prize, who were partners in the original Pink Portraits 12 years ago.
“I’m also delighted that Sue Saunders who founded LGBT+ History Month was able to join for the launch. The portraits are fantastic, and I’m exceptionally proud that four of the sitters are graduates of Cardiff University."
The ten sitters featured in this exhibition are:
Bradley Siwela (He/Him) Producer | Assistant Camera |Great listener
Efa Blosse Mason (She/They) Animator | Director | Loves folktales and mythology
El Bergonzini (They/Them) Editor | Floor Manager | Coffee lover
Jess Hope Clayton (She/Her) Digital Journalist | Content Creator | Shower singer
Liam Ketcher (He/Him) Camera Operator | Journalist | Loves going on hikes!
Margarida Maximo (She/Her) Photographer | Content Creator | Loves crystals
Mathew David (He/Him) Actor | Writer | Batman Fanatic
Oojal Kour (She/Her) Writer | Photographer | Cat lover
Rebs Fisher-Jackson (She/Her) Screenwriter | Script Supervisor | Swiftie
Seth Edmonds (He/Him) Festival Administrator | Producer | Cat person
Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director said: “This is a fantastic way to celebrate LGBT+ History month. Working together we can celebrate new talent by commissioning and exhibiting the work of Dylan Lewis Thomas.
"It is exciting that these lovely portraits will be seen all over Cardiff, highlighting the often-unseen creatives working behind the camera. The sitters chosen represent some of the most diverse and vibrant talent we have here in Wales. We look forward to sharing Dylan's portraiture with you."
The original Pink Portraits: In 2010 the Iris Prize, together with the UK Film Council, commissioned celebrated Scottish portrait photographer, Donald MacLellan to photograph 20 gay and lesbian professionals working in front and behind the lens. They included Simon Callow, Terence Davies, Stephen Fry, Phyllida Lloyd, Mark Gatiss, Briony Hanson, Sean Mathias, Sir Ian McKellen, Berwyn Rowlands, Sophie Ward and Sir Antony Sher.
Find out more about the project and view the full series of portraits here.