Photographer Thomas Mundell and model Yann are turning heads with two new series that pay homage to queer cinematic landmarks while giving them a contemporary twist. The projects honor the legacy of James Bidgood’s Pink Narcissus and Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Querelle, two works that reshaped queer visual storytelling.
Dreamlike Homage to Pink Narcissus
The first series reimagines Pink Narcissus, Bidgood’s 1971 underground classic known for its lush, highly stylized depiction of erotic fantasy. Mundell’s photography channels the film’s vivid color palettes, theatrical lighting, and sensual composition, creating images that feel both nostalgic and entirely new.
“Pink Narcissus defined queer visual fantasy for decades,” Yann said. “We wanted to translate that sense of opulence and desire for a modern audience, celebrating freedom of expression in queer identity and art.”
The series nods to iconic photographers like Pierre et Gilles while staking its own claim in contemporary queer visual culture. It explores identity, performance, and intimacy, merging the erotic and the artistic in a way that is unapologetically bold.
Revisiting Querelle and Queer Complexity
The second project turns to Fassbinder’s Querelle, a film that challenged conventional ideas of masculinity, desire, and morality in the 1980s. Mundell’s photographs reinterpret its provocative themes for today’s queer generation, highlighting the tension between vulnerability and erotic power, moral ambiguity, and self-discovery.
“Querelle was revolutionary in its time,” Yann said. “We wanted to explore those same themes while showing the complexity of queer life now: its freedom, its visibility, and its artfulness.”
The series embraces cinematic drama, featuring stark contrasts, shadow play, and daring compositions that evoke the film’s darkly poetic energy.
Bridging Past and Present
Together, the two series showcase how queer visual culture continues to evolve while honoring its foundations. Mundell’s work demonstrates that the aesthetic and emotional language of these classic films remains relevant, inspiring new conversations about desire, identity, and creativity in LGBTQ+ art.
These projects are more than recreations; they are a celebration of queer artistry across generations, a dialogue between past and present that invites audiences to reflect on how far queer storytelling has come and where it’s heading next.
