Something To Talk About: Wynne Neilly
Wynne Neilly is a queer and trans-identified visual artist and photographer currently working out of Toronto. Wynne focuses on portraiture and editorial work, using these platforms to reflect the development of identity and the complexities of human gender expression.
SS
Can you tell me a little about your subject matters: are they friends? There seems to be a lovely connection between you and them.
WN
I appreciate you saying that. I really try to convey that connection when I shoot. I feel very close and involved when shooting someone so that’s really nice to hear that it’s being communicated through my work.
I have two main subject matters: my queer community and landscapes. The people I photograph are usually those who are close to me or people who I find have an interesting look that speaks to their unique gender experience. I always have lots to learn about my community, and the people who I consider a part of that community changes frequently. I learn best about my peers through photographing them so I am always excited to shoot someone new.
I have two main subject matters: my queer community and landscapes. The people I photograph are usually those who are close to me or people who I find have an interesting look that speaks to their unique gender experience. I always have lots to learn about my community, and the people who I consider a part of that community changes frequently. I learn best about my peers through photographing them so I am always excited to shoot someone new.
SS
Is there a lot of planning in your portrait work or is a lot of it spontaneous?
WN
There really isn’t that much planning at all. I have very minimal equipment and I don’t like to use a lot of props or distractions from the subject. I will either ask someone to meet me in a studio location and just have a conversation with the person while I shoot their natural posing and pauses, or I will take a walk with someone and find a spot that feels relevant to stop at and shoot.
SS
As a queer artist, what are some of the obstacles/challenges you have faced or have experienced?
WN
I feel like all of the press and attention I have received for my work has both helped motivate me to keep making the work I believe in, and it has also really cornered me as an artist. It seems like sometimes people have expectations of me to fill certain specific gaps in representation. I feel as though I am not always taken seriously as a photographer that can do commercial work.
Being an out queer and trans artist who focuses on portrait work of his queer community also comes along with people thinking that that’s my only skillset and that I am too “edgy” for commercial work, especially in Canada. I have a 40 hour a week job that is totally separate from my art career so that makes it hard to be able to develop my portfolio more and set time aside to put in emotional and creative effort towards my practice. It’s a real ebb and flow.
Being an out queer and trans artist who focuses on portrait work of his queer community also comes along with people thinking that that’s my only skillset and that I am too “edgy” for commercial work, especially in Canada. I have a 40 hour a week job that is totally separate from my art career so that makes it hard to be able to develop my portfolio more and set time aside to put in emotional and creative effort towards my practice. It’s a real ebb and flow.
SS
Who and what are some of your inspirations?
WN
Catherine Opie would be my number one photographic inspiration. I am really inspired by artists working closely with their communities and who use their body to tell a story. Some other inspirations of mine right now include: Cassils, Robert Coombs, Michelle Groskopf, Brene Brown, Robert Mapplethrope, Landon Speers, @shooglet, my community and dadaism. I’m also very into architecture right now, especially brutalist style architecture.
SS
Your self-portrait project Female to “Male” received some great press. How was the response from the public? Will this project continue on and how does it feel looking back at older photos when you first started taking hormones?
WN
The response from the public has been, for the most part, really positive. I have had some really amazing opportunities fall into my lap, like going to Norway to show my work, because of the press I got for that and I am so incredibly thankful for that. I truly think I will work on this project until I die. At first, I didn’t have much intention in the purpose of it all for me. I was just really fascinated with the ability to know exactly when puberty was going to start and then being able to document that experience and everything that came with this very intentional process.
But now, as about 5 years have passed since I started that series, I find myself being really excited about documenting aging as a trans person. Aging is not something I could picture for myself when I was younger because I was really struggling with who I felt like and what life would be like for me in the future. There aren’t many trans elders because unfortunately, many have either passed too soon, been the victims of violence and hate crimes, and most of the population of trans people are very young right now. It’s really exciting to get to share this diary as I age.
Old photos are so strange to look at. I don’t know if anyone else has this experience, but for some reason, I still imagine myself as what I looked and sounded like five years ago. I often get surprised when I look in the mirror. I really like this body of work because it’s creating a new relationship to that process of looking at old photos. I have a hard time looking at old family photos or high school photos, but I actually really like looking at my first polaroid in this series because it represents the start of a new part of my life when I actually felt like I had control. I feel really reflective about this body of work as time goes on.
But now, as about 5 years have passed since I started that series, I find myself being really excited about documenting aging as a trans person. Aging is not something I could picture for myself when I was younger because I was really struggling with who I felt like and what life would be like for me in the future. There aren’t many trans elders because unfortunately, many have either passed too soon, been the victims of violence and hate crimes, and most of the population of trans people are very young right now. It’s really exciting to get to share this diary as I age.
Old photos are so strange to look at. I don’t know if anyone else has this experience, but for some reason, I still imagine myself as what I looked and sounded like five years ago. I often get surprised when I look in the mirror. I really like this body of work because it’s creating a new relationship to that process of looking at old photos. I have a hard time looking at old family photos or high school photos, but I actually really like looking at my first polaroid in this series because it represents the start of a new part of my life when I actually felt like I had control. I feel really reflective about this body of work as time goes on.
SS
Are you currently working on any personal projects?
WN
I am constantly shooting portraits as part of a bigger collection of work, but apart from that constant flow of images I am working on a couple things at the moment. One of them is a body of work I shot with my best friend called ‘Something to Talk About’ and it’s a collection of self portraits that challenge traditional narratives and stigma around masculine intimacy.
Another project that is still in the development stage is a photo-docu series on a queer/trans/BIPOC skate crew in Toronto. I am really looking forward to exploring a bit of a new style of working with this one.
Another project that is still in the development stage is a photo-docu series on a queer/trans/BIPOC skate crew in Toronto. I am really looking forward to exploring a bit of a new style of working with this one.
Something To Talk About: Wynne Neilly
Wynne Neilly is a queer and trans-identified visual artist and photographer currently working out of Toronto. Wynne focuses on portraiture and editorial work, using these platforms to reflect the development of identity and the complexities of human gender expression.
SS
Can you tell me a little about your subject matters: are they friends? There seems to be a lovely connection between you and them.
WN
I appreciate you saying that. I really try to convey that connection when I shoot. I feel very close and involved when shooting someone so that’s really nice to hear that it’s being communicated through my work.
I have two main subject matters: my queer community and landscapes. The people I photograph are usually those who are close to me or people who I find have an interesting look that speaks to their unique gender experience. I always have lots to learn about my community, and the people who I consider a part of that community changes frequently. I learn best about my peers through photographing them so I am always excited to shoot someone new.
I have two main subject matters: my queer community and landscapes. The people I photograph are usually those who are close to me or people who I find have an interesting look that speaks to their unique gender experience. I always have lots to learn about my community, and the people who I consider a part of that community changes frequently. I learn best about my peers through photographing them so I am always excited to shoot someone new.
SS
Is there a lot of planning in your portrait work or is a lot of it spontaneous?
WN
There really isn’t that much planning at all. I have very minimal equipment and I don’t like to use a lot of props or distractions from the subject. I will either ask someone to meet me in a studio location and just have a conversation with the person while I shoot their natural posing and pauses, or I will take a walk with someone and find a spot that feels relevant to stop at and shoot.
SS
As a queer artist, what are some of the obstacles/challenges you have faced or have experienced?
WN
I feel like all of the press and attention I have received for my work has both helped motivate me to keep making the work I believe in, and it has also really cornered me as an artist. It seems like sometimes people have expectations of me to fill certain specific gaps in representation. I feel as though I am not always taken seriously as a photographer that can do commercial work.
Being an out queer and trans artist who focuses on portrait work of his queer community also comes along with people thinking that that’s my only skillset and that I am too “edgy” for commercial work, especially in Canada. I have a 40 hour a week job that is totally separate from my art career so that makes it hard to be able to develop my portfolio more and set time aside to put in emotional and creative effort towards my practice. It’s a real ebb and flow.
Being an out queer and trans artist who focuses on portrait work of his queer community also comes along with people thinking that that’s my only skillset and that I am too “edgy” for commercial work, especially in Canada. I have a 40 hour a week job that is totally separate from my art career so that makes it hard to be able to develop my portfolio more and set time aside to put in emotional and creative effort towards my practice. It’s a real ebb and flow.
SS
Who and what are some of your inspirations?
WN
Catherine Opie would be my number one photographic inspiration. I am really inspired by artists working closely with their communities and who use their body to tell a story. Some other inspirations of mine right now include: Cassils, Robert Coombs, Michelle Groskopf, Brene Brown, Robert Mapplethrope, Landon Speers, @shooglet, my community and dadaism. I’m also very into architecture right now, especially brutalist style architecture.
SS
Your self-portrait project Female to “Male” received some great press. How was the response from the public? Will this project continue on and how does it feel looking back at older photos when you first started taking hormones?
WN
The response from the public has been, for the most part, really positive. I have had some really amazing opportunities fall into my lap, like going to Norway to show my work, because of the press I got for that and I am so incredibly thankful for that. I truly think I will work on this project until I die. At first, I didn’t have much intention in the purpose of it all for me. I was just really fascinated with the ability to know exactly when puberty was going to start and then being able to document that experience and everything that came with this very intentional process.
But now, as about 5 years have passed since I started that series, I find myself being really excited about documenting aging as a trans person. Aging is not something I could picture for myself when I was younger because I was really struggling with who I felt like and what life would be like for me in the future. There aren’t many trans elders because unfortunately, many have either passed too soon, been the victims of violence and hate crimes, and most of the population of trans people are very young right now. It’s really exciting to get to share this diary as I age.
Old photos are so strange to look at. I don’t know if anyone else has this experience, but for some reason, I still imagine myself as what I looked and sounded like five years ago. I often get surprised when I look in the mirror. I really like this body of work because it’s creating a new relationship to that process of looking at old photos. I have a hard time looking at old family photos or high school photos, but I actually really like looking at my first polaroid in this series because it represents the start of a new part of my life when I actually felt like I had control. I feel really reflective about this body of work as time goes on.
But now, as about 5 years have passed since I started that series, I find myself being really excited about documenting aging as a trans person. Aging is not something I could picture for myself when I was younger because I was really struggling with who I felt like and what life would be like for me in the future. There aren’t many trans elders because unfortunately, many have either passed too soon, been the victims of violence and hate crimes, and most of the population of trans people are very young right now. It’s really exciting to get to share this diary as I age.
Old photos are so strange to look at. I don’t know if anyone else has this experience, but for some reason, I still imagine myself as what I looked and sounded like five years ago. I often get surprised when I look in the mirror. I really like this body of work because it’s creating a new relationship to that process of looking at old photos. I have a hard time looking at old family photos or high school photos, but I actually really like looking at my first polaroid in this series because it represents the start of a new part of my life when I actually felt like I had control. I feel really reflective about this body of work as time goes on.
SS
Are you currently working on any personal projects?
WN
I am constantly shooting portraits as part of a bigger collection of work, but apart from that constant flow of images I am working on a couple things at the moment. One of them is a body of work I shot with my best friend called ‘Something to Talk About’ and it’s a collection of self portraits that challenge traditional narratives and stigma around masculine intimacy.
Another project that is still in the development stage is a photo-docu series on a queer/trans/BIPOC skate crew in Toronto. I am really looking forward to exploring a bit of a new style of working with this one.
Another project that is still in the development stage is a photo-docu series on a queer/trans/BIPOC skate crew in Toronto. I am really looking forward to exploring a bit of a new style of working with this one.