Holland Festival: Daniel Jack Lyons - Like a River

About Daniel Jack Lyons

With a social and medical anthropology background, Lyons went to work in the Amazon under the umbrella of Casa do Rio. This civil society organization supports and celebrates the cultural life of teens and youth living deep in the Amazon. Lyons mainly photographed the trans and queer communities of that region. He investigated how deep-rooted indigenous traditions and modern identity politics meet in a kind of safe space sheltered by the exuberant vegetation of the rainforest.

Lyons' powerful images do justice to individual expression and confirm the coming-of-age of this group. His photos express remarkable resilience against environmental pollution, violence and discrimination.

Daniel Jack Lyons: “Despite all the struggles that come with being queer, there is also a magical aspect: I have a built-in family and community wherever I go. This turned out to be the case with this project. I did not intend to document only indigenous queer and trans people in the Amazon. Still, as the project took shape, it was the trans, non-binary and queer people with whom I developed the most intimate connection. There was also a very intense desire among the queer community to be seen.'

There will be a festive exhibition opening on 10 June at 17:00.