My name is Ryan Pfluger and I’m 20 years old. This December I will be graduating with a BFA in photography from SUNY New Paltz in upstate New York and in the fall I will be going to grad school at either SVA or Parsons, both in NYC.

Fusion caught my eye while browsing the web one day. I think Kent State is very lucky to have such a powerful driving force like Fusion to help support the LGBT community and the causes it stands for. I believe all educational institutions should have dedicated people and organizations to help support this community. As an outsider from the school, I am honored to be involved and support Fusion because it is a very important cause near and dear to my heart.

Photography became an outlet for me to express my life, issues I wanted people to be aware of and I also wanted to try and give people a window into viewing and understanding different lifestyles they may not be accustomed to. There are various subcultures and communities that are not often represented in the media and the arts. But these lifestyles and communities definitely do exist and need to be expressed through these media outlets in order to raise awareness and eliminate homophobia and intolerance.

Photographing issues of sexuality and relationships relating to the LGBT community is important to me not just because I am, myself, a gay photographer, but also because it is a much needed glimpse into an often overlooked aspect of our community. Having worked through various obstacles in my college career, I now feel my work is not just art, but more of a voyeuristic look into my life—and something I would like to share with the students of Kent State University. Though most of my work is planned out and directed, I try to make it just as honest as real life, if not more. In my artwork I often place homosexual models in heterosexual relationship positions, or heterosexual models in homosexual relationship positions. I feel as though my work shows sexuality in a light that is not often addressed. Regardless of it being positive or negative, I try to touch on all points that effect not only the LGBT community, but those outside of it as well. The central themes in my work address social issues like feminism, LGBT awareness, domestic violence, sexuality, and emotional honesty. I am hopeful that those who see it are drawn in, and get some sort of insight to my work.

For more photos by Ryan Pluger, check out his website at: http://www.pflotography.com

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