For Michael_

About the Photographer

Cochrane, Peter

American, b.1987

Working with a large-format view camera similar to those used in the 19th century, Peter Cochrane depicts still-life arrangements he creates as homages to mentors in his queer community. Although no person sits for a portrait, Cochrane selects specific tree branches, dried leaves, and flower blossoms representing cycles of life and death. His images show nature’s fleeting vibrancy and evidence of its inevitable decay, and also serve as a metaphor for phrases cast to antagonize queerness as “against nature” or “unnatural.” In revealing the details of his temporary outdoor studio space, Cochrane points to the artificial societal structures of conformity and reminds us that we create our own beauty.

Peter Cochrane completed his MFA in 2019 from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts and is a runner-up of the 2019 Snider Prize.