LGBTQ+ Power Players: Desmond Picotte, Photographer and Art Director for Saks

LGBTQ+ Power Player Desmond Picotte has come a long way since photographing their beanie babies as a child. Inspired and mentored by both their older cousin and high school photography teacher, Desmond’s passion, skill, and hard work were on display last year in Lyon, France, where their photographs were included in an exhibition on the visual history of feminist movements.

In this interview, Desmond reflects on this accomplishment and delves into the political nature of their photography – the implications of creating art as a nonbinary individual; the stakes of capturing subjects whose identity or physical forms may challenge or disrupt the assumptions of the audience; and the limitations that artists have on how their work is received.

Desmond Picotte can be found on Instagram @desmondpicotte and on their website http://desmondpicotte.com/