Titled "A Queer Gaze," the exhibition is scheduled to run from July 2 to August 27, 2026, at the IHLIA-plein in Amsterdam's OBA Oosterdok library. The collection will feature images from Bakker's upcoming photobook of the same name, which documents two decades of LGBTQ+ life, activism, and culture.
Marian Bakker was an active documentarian of the queer community, and the exhibition aims to show not just her photographs but also their place in the culture of the time. The presentation will be supplemented with archival materials from IHLIA, demonstrating how Bakker's images were used in everyday community life. Visitors can expect to see her work on items such as T-shirts from the iconic women's bar Saarein, in brochures and magazines for the Gay Games Amsterdam 1998, and within the pages of influential periodicals like Homologie and Madam.
The collection serves as a visual record of a period of significant change and community building, all before the rise of the internet and social media. For those who lived through the era, the images may serve as a point of recognition. For younger generations, it offers a distinct perspective on how the community created visibility and connection.
Exhibition Details
- What: A Queer Gaze – A look at the queer community in the 1980s and 1990s
- When: July 2 – August 27, 2026
- Where: IHLIA-plein (3rd floor), OBA Oosterdok, Oosterdokskade 143, Amsterdam
- Admission: Free
- Opening Hours:
- Monday - Friday: 08:00 – 22:00
- Saturday - Sunday: 10:00 – 20:00
Related Exhibitions
"A Queer Gaze" will run alongside other exhibitions focusing on LGBTQ+ history in Amsterdam during the same period:
- Walk of Pride – International Trailblazers: July 8 – October 1, 2026, also at IHLIA-plein.
- Queer Amsterdam, the Pink City: An extensive exhibition on the history of the city's LGBTQ+ community, running from July 9, 2026, to April 4, 2027, at De Nieuwe Kerk Amsterdam.
