Photography Project Explores LGBTIQ Family ViolenceHidden’ illustrates that everybody is entitled to safety, and violence should never be tolerated.

HIDDEN is a new conceptual photography project about domestic and family violence in the LGBTIQ community. Domestic and family violence is not a topic that is discussed within this community and a conversation needs to be started. Maya Sugiharto and Aviva Minc started work on this project in late 2014. HIDDEN was launched on 2 July 2015.

Maya and Aviva say that while this project is an extremely rewarding task it was a challenging and emotional shoot to work on. Both feel honoured and humbled to have been able to work with such amazing individuals who allowed boundaries to be pushed and were brave enough to revisit dark places in order for this important message to reach the public.

The community response has been extremely positive. Maya and Aviva hope that anyone who is experiencing violence has the courage to reach out for help.

HIDDEN photography project conveys various types of violence through conceptual art. Maya and Aviva worked with amazing volunteers and developed concepts for them to be acted out as the role of partners/lovers/wives/husbands in a Gay and Lesbian relationship experiencing some form of domestic and family violence.

Please be reminded that these subject matters are acting the role. They are not real partners or lovers. They themselves have either chosen to take a stand against domestic and family violence in our community and help get the information out there, or have survived domestic and family violence themselves.

Maya Sugiharto is the photographer and business owner along with Aviva Minc of Agent Morphe Design.

Subject Matters/ Volunteers:

  -Gay Couple – Tas Manolopoulos, Counsellor & Psychotherapist AND Paul Woodward, Senior University Lecturer in Theatre

  -Lesbian Couple – Carly-Anne Kenneally, Radio Maker & Teller of Stories AND Sheena Boys, Photographic Producer and EA

Check out the photos here.