Join us for a rare conversation with acclaimed photographer Arthur Tress, whose striking images of men cruising in New York City during the 1960s and 1970s captured a hidden world of queer desire and public intimacy at a time when such work could not be openly exhibited. In this intimate discussion, Tress will reflect on the history of cruising, its significance within LGBTQ+ culture, and the challenges of documenting a world that existed in the shadows. Through his lens, Tress not only chronicled the coded rituals and secret spaces of queer life but also transformed them into haunting, dreamlike compositions that blur the line between documentary and surrealism. Tress will share his experiences photographing this underground world, discuss the artistic and political risks of the era, and explore how his work resonates today in the ongoing conversation about visibility, privacy, and queer liberation. The talk will be followed by an audience Q&A. This event is free and open to the public.

Arthur Tress (b. 1940) is an acclaimed American photographer known for his surreal, dreamlike imagery that blends documentary realism with elements of fantasy and the subconscious. Emerging as a major figure in the 1960s, Tress built a career on capturing the hidden and liminal spaces of American life—whether through haunting staged narratives, psychological landscapes, or intimate portraits of marginalized communities.