Wendy and Liz (un-redacted), from the series Ron and Roger (2000-2001)
The Catherine Opie exhibition ‘To Be Seen’ at National Portrait Gallery has inspired me to revisit my archive that deals directly with sexuality and gender roles.
Ron and Roger was a seminal personal project that documented the courageous couples ‘ to be seen’ through the registration of their relationship with the ‘London Partnership Register’ – a Greater London Authority initiative that, whilst not recognised in law, did recognise same sex relationships for the first time, at a moment when there was still significant hostility to same sex marriage and it was still considered unacceptable by a statistically significant majority in the UK.
The LPG is now recognised as a vital part of #lgbtq history, instrumental in testing the ground but also responsible for ‘shifting the dial’ that led to the Civil partnership Act 2004 and eventually the Marriage (same sex) Act 2013.
The images reflect the composition of the #arnolfiniportrait at the time considered to be a document of a clandestine betrothal and contract in itself. The couple’s pose at home as if at the altar. But I’m present too behind the camera – like the reflection of Van Eyke in the mirror – this is my life and at the time these portraits were a projection of my needs too.
29 to 32 out of 56 Commonwealth Nations member states (roughly 55-60%) continue to criminalize same-sex acts. These 29-32 nations are considered actively hostile at a state level, with several imposing severe penalties, including life imprisonment in at least six countries (Bangladesh, Guyana, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda). Brunei, Nigeria, and Uganda have been highlighted for potential or actual death penalties for same-sex acts. @tomdaley@eltonjohn @petertatchell1 @foreignanddevelopmentoffice
Welcome to London @csopie ❤️
Catherine Opie – TO BE SEEN
National Portrait Gallery
5 March – 31 May 2026
Floor 2
£19.50
