EMST presents for the first time in Greece the internationally recognized photographer Lola Flash. Working at the forefront of queer representation for over four decades, Lola Flash's work challenges preconceptions and stereotypes about gender, sexuality and race.

An active member of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) during the AIDS epidemic in New York, Flash appeared on the iconic 1989 "Kissing Doesn't Kill" poster. Their art and activism are deeply connected, fueling a a lifelong commitment to promoting and preserving the legacy of LGBTI+ and communities of color worldwide.

The SALT series (2011-ongoing) presented at the Museum is a series of portraits depicting important older female figures (over seventy) who have had a silent impact on their world and are still passionately engaged in their life's work . In a culture where beauty is equated with youth, these women are not only beautiful but also accomplished and make significant contributions to society.

This moving series of portraits reflects their wisdom, charm, appeal and strength, which is often overlooked due to ageist prejudice, particularly against women. The subjects of the Salt series include, among others, Tony Parks – photographer and daughter of legendary photographer Gordon Parks, Koho – a master sumi-e painter, and renowned activist Esther Cooper Jackson. The women were photographed where they felt most intimate, in order to capture the texture of their private space. SALT aims to challenge the social marginalization and invisibility experienced by older women and highlight the deep-rooted cultural and social biases that keep them out of the public sphere. Flash's work harks back to the tradition of twentieth-century portraiture, using a large format 4×5 camera, as she believes this process conveys the importance of the sitting to the subject and renders a truer image.

Edited by: Ioli Tzanetaki
Location: Public area, 2nd floor

Lola Flash has been working as a practicing artist in the US and UK with numerous international exhibitions and commissions over the past four decades. Flash received her BA from the Maryland Institute and her MA from the London College of Printing, United Kingdom. She works mainly in portraiture, dealing with those who are often considered invisible. Their work is included in major collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, MoMA, the Whitney, the Museum of the African American of History and Culture, and the Brooklyn Museum. Flash is currently a member of the Kamoinge Collective and a member of the Board of Directors of Queer Art.

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