The Cowboy, The Soldier, and the Queer Body, 2022

Undergraduate Thesis Exhibition 

The Cowboy, The Soldier, and the Queer Body 

is a project by Tyler Da Silva that investigates the identity of homoerotic art in a modern day landscape, alongside those within the queer community. Originating in the 1960’s, homoerotics were created for queer men, yet not openly branded as such. Simply being framed to showcase what masculinity was meant to look like. 

Engaging directly with the experiences of the current queer community, Da Silva has used this series as an attempt to showcase what masculinity means to those today, and decontruct the bias’ made within the images before. Giving each person the opportunity to perform for the camera as pleased, within their space, allowing for a controlled representation of who they are. 

Exhibited Within:

Maximum Exposure. Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival 2022, Toronto, Canada

Toronto Metropolitan University x Rougher/ Yonge Dundas Square Programming, Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada

A Measure of Being Exhibition, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Toronto, Canada

Work Selected for the President & Provost’s Personal Office Exhibition, X University, Toronto, Canada