VOICES
60 seconds with…
LOLA FLASH
ANEZKA TUREK SPENDS 60 SECONDS WITH NYC-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER, LOLA FLASH
Born in 1969 in New Jersey, Lola Flash uses photography to challenge stereotypes and offer new ways of seeing.
DIVA: When did you first find an interest in photography?
LOLA FLASH: I love, love, love col- ours. Having the option to use a camera to juxtapose hues, textures and shapes was, and still is, a real thrill. When I was just a kid, my camera was my way of entertain- ing myself. It wasn’t until I got to college and started creating my cross-colour work that I realised I could make statements and shed my point of view about race and sexuality by using my camera.
Tell us about your latest exhibition.
Autograph’s [a London-based arts charity] mission is to “enable the public to explore identity, representation, human rights and social justice”. As a queer artist of colour, there still aren’t many institutions commit- ted to “levelling the playing ground” by creating spaces and discussions where Black and brown bodies are showcased. Women and female-presenting folks are still underrepresented in the art world.