Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 10:47:25 -0300
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NEWS STORY
Gay youths the picture of health
Exuberance! artists drove across the U.S., Canada
 
By MARLA CRANSTON - The Daily News

According to the dictionary, exuberance is characterized by good health and high spirits. ItÕs full of life, and itÕs an apt title for a Halifax Pride Week photo exhibition, hanging in the new Alteregos Coffeehouse on Gottingen Street until July 24.

An extension of www.younggayamerica.com, the Exuberance! show was put together by Halifax couple Benjie Nycum and Mike Glatze, who drove 64,000 kilometres across Canada and the U.S. to document the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth for the Web site. They narrowed down their 6,500 photos to 300 for the show. Among two dozen faces from Halifax are teenager Graham Pinsent, who inspired the exhibition before he died this spring of diabetes and anemia.

The effect of so many smiling, happy faces together shows the world young gay people have emerged into a powerful demographic, says Glatze. He was ÒflooredÓ to discover many young gay people thriving in remote smalltowns Ñ some still struggle as targets of bullies, but the majority are Òjust living their lives and being happy and positive,Ó says Glatze, who met Nycum while working at San FranciscoÕs XY magazine.

ÒIt sends the message that these kids are totally okay and healthy,Ó he says. ÒThereÕs a strong misconception that gay kids are all suicidal and hate themselves, but theyÕre just going to school and getting crushes, and dating, and going to church, and dreaming of their future, just like any other kid.Ó

Marc Hall, the Durham, Ont., teen who took his Catholic school to court for the right to bring his boyfriend to last monthÕs graduation prom, is a special guest at the showÕs launch party, Friday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. HeÕs also the Halifax Pride paradeÕs grand marshall on July 20, and thereÕs a fundraising dinner at PineauÕs Cafe to help with his legal defence fund.

Next year, Exuberance! travels to New Hampshire, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Croatia. In August, Nycum and Glatze hit the road again, collecting footage of gay teen life for a PBS/MTV documentary.

***

A new downtown photo gallery was born Thursday, in the cheerful space above Atlantic Photo Supply on Spring Garden Road. Birmingham Gallery is the official Halifax dealer for prominent east coast photographers Sherman Hines and Stephen Patterson, but amateurs are also welcome to showcase their work, says co-ordinator Heather Miller. SheÕs asked staff downstairs to flag outstanding photos as theyÕre processed, in hopes of nurturing fresh artistic talent, and she also plans to showcase childrenÕs work.

New owner Brian Giffin has totally revamped the old photo shop, with state-of-the-art digital imaging equipment, film-processing, large-format printing, custom-framing and camera-equipment sales. One room in the gallery will serve as a classroom for a wide variety of photography workshops and seminars. Well worth a look in the opening show are Joanne ChiltonÕs vibrant colourful abstracts.

Also, check out ChiltonÕs work on www.gathering-of-artists.ca, along with Margot Metcalfe, Tom Ward, Don Pentz and others. The Web site is home to a collective of two dozen Nova Scotian artists, with artist profiles and examples of their textiles, paintings, photos, woodwork and even gourmet food.

Launched last year, itÕs expanding steadily, says president Richard Levangie. LunenburgÕs Peer Gallery Co-op just signed on, and the site is poised to expand into New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland.

mcranston@hfxnews.southam.ca
© Copyright  2002  The Daily News