Leo and Lawrence, a love story in photos
Fundraising to cover the cost of purchasing rare photos of gay men in Christchurch in late 1920s, early 1930s.
Nationwide
Earlier this year, Chris Brickell and I had the opportunity to secure around 50 or so photos from the late 1920s and early 1930s of Leo Bennseman and Lawerence Baigent, who had moved together to Christchurch.
Because of the rarity of the photos - a gay couple - boyfriends - in that time, in different social settings - Chris and I felt it important that the photos be donated to Te Papa for safekeeping, and as a repository for social research into Gay male lives during that time.
I am raising funds to cover the cost of the photos.
For further details, please see:
https://brickell.nz/home/index.php/blog/leo-and-lawrences-queer-world
Use of funds
The photos will be donated to Te Papa. Funds above that amount will be donated to Rainbow Youth.
Latest update
Leo & Lawrence go to Te Papa! 16 November 2023
This past winter both myself and Chris Brickell donated our collection of Leo and Lawrence photos to Te Papa.
I meet with the Photographs Curator, Athol McCreadie and handed 43 photos over to him formally.
He explained that they limit how long they display photos because of light conditions, but the good thing was digital technology - they can scan the photos and use these in displays.
So, thank you for your help in preserving gay culture in Aotearoa NZ!
Latest donations
Thank you very much Mark for your kind donation! Appreciated! Yes, these will be in Te Papa for safekeeping, and Chris Brickell and I will be negotiating access / showing agreement so that they don't sit in a drawer only to come out once every 10 years or so. Hopefully Te Papa will do a show of them next year sometime so you can pop down and see them.
Thank you very much Mark! Appreciated! Your support is gratefully acknowledged. I hope sometime next year you might be able to visit Te Papa for a public viewing of the photos!
Thanks Jeff! Appreciated! Hopefully you'll get to see the first public display of the photos at Te Papa soon!
Thank you very much for you support! It's important to preserve as much as we can of gay male history - here through photos - so that we know who our 'forefathers' were. You support is much appreciated.
Thank you very much for your kind donation! Much appreciated. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me.
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