Barbican exhibition surveys masculinity through photography with queer focus, critiqued for narrow scope

The Barbican Art Gallery in London hosted the exhibition 'Masculinities: Liberation through Photography' from 20 February to 17 May 2020. This showcase included over 300 photographs and films created by more than 50 artists, examining the portrayal of masculinity from the 1960s to the present, with an emphasis on queer erotics. Among the highlighted pieces were Adi Nes's 'Soldiers' series (1994–2000) and Fouad Elkoury's 'Militiamen' (1980), alongside critiques of patriarchal privilege by Richard Avedon and Karen Knorr. Family themes were represented by Duane Michals and Larry Sultan, while homoerotic works featured artists like Catherine Opie and Robert Mapplethorpe. The exhibition, which also included female artists like Laurie Anderson and Tracey Moffatt, faced backlash for its lack of diversity and insufficient engagement with the toxicity of patriarchy and the #MeToo movement.