The Place I go when I miss You

January 9, 2025 - May 13, 2025

During his time in Iowa, photographer Kyle Agnew began contemplating the Midwestern landscape and how queerness intertwines with the ecosystem. Agnew's practice provided him with ways to express his love and longing for his partner despite the distance between them. Through his photographic exploration of the Indiana Dunes, where he got engaged, and the Iowan prairie, where he and his partner now live, Agnew challenges oversimplified views of queer love aiming to present a more holistic view.

In the realm of photography, discussions of queerness often focus on the voyeuristic portrayal of queer males in the nude. While celebrating the body and sexual experiences is valuable, an over-glorification of these images can oversimplify the complexity of queer identity. Agnew seeks to transcend this by proposing a broader view of queerness in the landscape, reflecting his personal experiences.

Kyle Agnew, an Indiana native, earned his BFA in Photography from the University of Indianapolis and his MFA in Photography from the University of Iowa. Agnew also draws from an archive of familial objects passed down from his grandmother to his mother, and now to him. He reflects on this collection and its authenticity to all aspects of his identity, using it as source material to create new queer fairytales and express a more multifaceted idea of queer love.

Kyle Agnew, Flowers Behind My Apartment (The Place I go when I miss You), 2023, Inkjet Print on Hahnemühle Pearlescent Photo Rag, 28" x 42"