The release of Vincent Cianni’s art book, Archive / Journal: 1985-1995/2001, marks the beginning of Pride Month. Various celebrations, parades, and events are held worldwide throughout the month of June to celebrate identity, love, freedom, and acceptance and to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, which sparked the modern gay rights movement.
Cianni didn’t take up baking or indoor gardening during the Pandemic; instead, he spent night and day in the darkroom to recatalogue more than 100 rolls of film, create 140 prints, some exposed for the first time ever. His publication comprises two books, showcasing his extensive archive documenting the LGBTQ+ community in New York at the height of the AIDS epidemic and exploring its parallels with the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Cianni points out, “Both crises exposed government incompetence, systemic inequities, and the devastating impact of neglect on marginalised communities.”
Cianni, a documentary photographer, educator and activist, spent a decade photographing the New York City Pride marches between 1985 and 1995. Volume 1, Archive, 1985-1995 showcases the marches and marks key events of the gay rights movement alongside ephemera and newspaper articles.
As of 2025, AIDS claimed more than 44 million lives, making it the third deadliest Pandemic in history. The marches raised public awareness and demanded the decriminalisation of HIV, eventually culminating in proper medical research from the government, as well as legal, housing, and medical services offered to those in need.
In contrast, in Volume 2, Journal: 1985-2001, Cianni gathers his personal collection, including self-portraits and journal entries alongside photographs of Cianni’s friends and lovers, many of whom lived with or died from the disease. His images paint a candid portrait of the time.
Ultimately, Cianni’s books are more than just historical records; they juxtapose the electrifying energy of the streets, with the intimate moments, quiet grief and helplessness. Released by Daylight Books, a non-profit organisation dedicated to emerging and mid-career conceptual and documentary photographers, this slipcased edition offers a timely reminder of resilience and community power for those navigating today’s sociopolitical challenges.
Ben Garcia, Executive Director of the American LGBTQ+ Museum, said “Archive/Journal: 1985-1995/2001” is of the utmost importance to our collective history. Cianni’s photographs capture the spirit and breadth of NYC’s queer communities in the last decades of the 20th century. This book will be a precious resource and the reminder of our collective power that we all need in this new era.”
These two beautiful hardcover books are presented together in a slipcase, and are now available for $60/£46 from daylightbooks.org
Book signings during the month of June:
- 12 June, 5pm – 8:45pm, Philadelphia Museum of Art: Friday Night Pride Month Edition, Book signing
- 13 June, 2pm – 4pm Frederick Book Arts Center: Presentation and Book Signing
- 20 June, The Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville: Book signing, John Keough VIP: 5:30pm – 6:30pm, Conversation: 7pm – 8:30pm
Related reading:
- “Personal images are the most powerful” These stunning self-portraits will make you reflect on your own identity
- I’ve photographed celebs and found you don’t have to be extroverted to take amazing portrait photos
- 60 Years in Britain: this award-winning photographer reveals a rarely-seen side to British culture
- Seen In Sport: giving queer sportspeople a voice through photography
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