SOCIALLY ENGAGED ART STUDIO (SEAS)

Trans Lens: Visibility, Resistance, and Everyday Life

 Jubilee Library July 9th - August 3rd

In 2025, exhibiting trans people’s photography about trans rights in the UK is vital for visibility and truth-telling amid rising anti-trans narratives. As artist and activist Fox Fisher states, “Trans people must own our narratives, or others will define us in ways that erase our humanity.”
Trans-led photography offers a powerful counter-narrative, allowing trans people to represent the richness of their lives, struggles, and resilience. A 2024 Stonewall report found that 68% of UK trans people feel misrepresented in mainstream media; these exhibitions disrupt that erasure by centring lived experiences through trans lenses.
Through conversations with Brighton-based trans artists, we recognised that focusing solely on protest can reduce trans existence to conflict, erasing joy, creativity, and everyday living. It risks framing trans people only as victims or fighters, unintentionally flattening identities. Moreover, non-trans audiences may see these images as “other people’s problems” rather than reflecting on their role within systems of oppression.
This exhibition began with an open call for protest-related works in the broadest sense. The powerful and diverse responses led us to include works that offer personal and expansive interpretations of protest.
We believe that consent, agency, and context are crucial in presenting these works. We aim to create a safer space where trans people are the authors of their narratives, not the subjects of the gaze, connecting personal stories to policy struggles and the fight against transphobia.
We hope this exhibition offers insight into trans lives while celebrating the creativity, joy, and resistance that shape the ongoing fight for justice and equality.

Participating artists at the exhibition at the Jubilee Library are: 

Abel Simme, Alec Sebastian D'Aulerio, Arono Celeprin, Artie Carden, Ashleigh Green, Ben Saunders Art, Calli Cornish, Chris Silver, El Colman, Eva Marschan-Hayes, Ezra Taylor, Frank Thornton, Gabriel Bennett Lovejoy, Isaac Skelton, Joles Wong, Justyna, Malachi Jackson, Mano Mandal, Ted Bairabas, Yaya (Xi-lin Wang). Invited artists: Rowan Frewin, Suzie Pindar (The Naked Artist), Nick(y) Ebbage, Luc Raesmith, Nelson Morales, Francesca Alamio. 

Thanks to all the participating artists, the judges on the selection panel Sarah Savag &  E-J Scott, The Chalk Cliff Trust, The Clare's Project, and Jubilee Library, for your support of the project.

We received many more works that we could showcase this time, due to limited space and funding. Any interested art or community spaces that might be interested in hosting this exhibition are welcome to contact us.