Summer Raine Young
Artist Statement
Exploration of self through photography has become not only a major interest, but a necessity for Young to further navigate and process their own identity. The first time they stepped in front of the lens, Young felt it acted as a protective barrier between them and their audience. This resulted in an instant wave of vulnerability, which allowed them to express feelings that had been buried deep down, especially as the “quiet kid” growing up. Being a queer, gender-fluid person, Young had trouble finding an outlet to comfortably open up or find representation through. However, the use of body language creates a universal emotion that can be relevant for anyone and documenting this has brought about many healing factors. Additionally, Young’s cats, Tortilla and Guacamole, are free to enter the frame as they please, and have come to represent comfort, safety, and a bit of humor to balance out the emotional and almost dramatic scenes that Young portrays. While major themes of gender, sexuality, inner turmoil, and personal life can be found within Young’s work, they are often challenging themselves to photograph any subject that truly peaks their interest.
Bio
Summer Raine Young is a fine art photographer from Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 2021. Their work has been featured in magazines and exhibited in galleries throughout the United States. Young is currently a full-time Art Handler and worked previously for the Baltimore Museum of Art photographing the prints, drawings, and photographs collection. They earned their Bachelor of Arts in Photography from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland in May of 2019.