The Activism and Artistry of Joan E. Biren’s Photography

This week host June Thomas talks to the activist photographer Joan E. Biren, also known as JEB. In the interview, JEB discusses the creation, funding, and printing of her 1979 photobook Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, which was recently reissued by Anthology Editions. She also talks about the enduring legacy of the book and what it meant for lesbians to see themselves accurately represented in her work. 

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler reflect on JEB’s ability to create the art she wanted to see in the world. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, JEB explains why she doesn’t like words like capture and shoot to describe photography. 

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Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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