Sternthal Books Print

LGBTQ+ LOVE אהבה גאה

Michael Liani
$60
$60
252 Pages, 17 x 23 cm.
Synthetic Cloth on Board, Gold Leaf Foil Stamping
Two paper stocks,
978-1-988689-11-1
Sternthal Books Print
LGBTQ+ LOVE אהבה גאה
Michael Liani
$60

Michael Liani embarked on a journey that took him throughout Israel—from north to south—to piece together a collective portrait made up of hundreds of instances of love from throughout the LGBTQ+ continuum. This archive is composed of personal and intimate frames that together form a silent political pride parade, raising questions about individual and collective identity.

The subjects stare at the viewer—at times proudly and defiantly, and at other times with hesitation. Liani photographs the subjects in their natural environments, documenting their homes, beliefs, and dreams with a directness that does not attempt to charm, appease, or please.

Contrary to the experience of many, otherness is power, and through Liani’s lens and gaze, otherness as an empowering force manifests precisely in the most prosaic of instances, through the personal and everyday moments in the life of this diverse community. LGBTQ+ Love introspectively directs its gaze inwards, and through its exposition, welcomes the external gaze of the viewer, at a time when many LGBTQ+ families and couples still struggle with exhibiting public displays of affection.

Liani’s journey began during the COVID-19 lockdown and has been going on ever since. It was the isolation of the lockdowns that pushed him to embark on this journey, substituting seclusion and isolation with community building, and countering silence by speaking out loud. The resulting photographs combine a critical view and a keen eye with current political realities.

Liani’s quintessential images blend a fleeting glance, and his generous photographic gaze, with the intimacy of families who welcome him into their sacred spaces. The final product is ambiguous, nothing is straightforward: “It is my interpretation of love,” he says, “I create and document a reality, and it is beautiful.”

The book’s photographs were taken with an analogue camera, each session consisting of no more than four or five clicks on film. Through the photographic act of “shooting”, Liani simultaneously heals the wounds of both himself and his subjects, formulating a beautiful scar that seeks to elicit emotion and preserve it—intact and exact, in memory.

Liani asks his subjects to look directly at the camera; neither to be photogenic nor to please. The mutual gaze, between subject and photographer/viewer, reflects a broader social and internal struggle, producing victorious frames that seem to affirm—your love is right, legitimate, and powerful.

The process of gathering, photographing, and documenting the subjects depicted within this book was “democratic,” attempting to touch the full spectrum of Israel’s LGBTQ+ community, and introduce a new gaze filled with pride, acceptance, and love.

Nir Harmat, Photos by Elad Sarig

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About

Sternthal Books is an art book publishing company which uses print, motion, and digital media to examine current global issues from an artistic perspective. Through our experience, we shepherd our clients and collaborators through the various stages through which an idea is transformed into a finished product. We believe that art provides all people with the power to express ourselves, transform our surroundings, and make the world a better place. If you are an artist, gallery, or museum interested in publishing, please get in touch at contact@sternthalbooks.com, and for a more detailed list of available services scroll below.

This website is arranged according to media – Read, Watch, Visit, but when you click on a ‘Sternthal Book or Video’, each one acts as a container which brings together components from the various ‘media’: Every book we make is accompanied by a digital edition, a short film, and events and programming, rendering the substance of what we do far more significant then just a book.

Clients

Venice Biennale For Architecture, Artis, The Jack Shainman Gallery, Printed Matter Art Book Fair, Alon Segev Gallery, Chelouche Gallery, Braverman Gallery, UMapped.

Services

  • Strategy

    Sternthal Books works with artists, galleries, museums, and a variety of other cultural institutions to best communicate their program’s and exhibitions through a variety of digital, interactive, and print media. Our role varies according to our clients needs, with the capacity to see projects through from strategizing and concepting through production and promotion.

  • Concepting

    Through conversations, dialogue, and research, we sift through a large variety of visual material in order to seek out different approaches to best communicate messaging. Whether it be in the form of an artist book, a website, or a short film, each project starts with a clear conceptual point of departure.

  • Curation

    Through a process of selection and re-interpretation, we start each project of through a curatorial editing process, where we collaborate with artists to either sequence and arrange their work, and in many cases, embark on the creation of new works to best communicate the artist’s vision. The books and videos we aim to make are not mere representations of existing media, but are works of art in and above themselves.
  • Design

    During the design process we use a variety of models, and mockups, mood and story boards to begin to flesh out concepts, and bring them to reality.

  • Production

    Through our experience we have developed trusting relationships with a variety of programmers, designers, and printing companies in Asia, Europe, Israel, and North America. We can oversee, manage, and produce both audio visual and print projects from start to finish.

  • Promotion

    Through events, newsletters, pop up shops, and various collaborations, we also offer promotional support to our clients and collaborators, helping to provide exposure and visibility for artists and brands alike.

Contact

Schedule a meeting

Email us to schedule a meeting, either in New York, Montreal, or Tel-Aviv.

Design & UX: Naama Tobias
Code: Eli Krupitsky