"Traverse: Narrating Identity Within Queer Spaces" is now showing at Tūhura Otago Museum, in partnership with Dunedin Pride.
The evolving exhibition aims to provide a collective representation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s queer community.
The exhibition presents portraits of members of the diverse rainbow community photographed by Shields.
"Every person that has been photographed is presenting themselves exactly as they choose."
Alongside the exhibition are video conversations between different generations, sharing insights such as what the community looked like in the past and now, and how language used within the queer community has evolved over time.
"It is all about individual aspects of who you are and what you want to put out there to the world, but in your way."
In an accompanying booklet the photographic subjects provide their perspective on questions such as changes in gender identity and queer politics over time, how language affects personal determination of self and the challenge of creating an atmosphere of respect and inclusion with the queer community across generations.
Having originated the project in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Shields is expanding the reach by visiting other regions, and hopes to bring the concept to smaller communities to capture a representative sample of people from across the country.
"This is a footprint in time.
"Who knows what this is going to look like in the future but the reality of it is it gives people a chance to recognise that we are a community and we are here now and everybody has their own individual take on it."
One of the key messages he hopes to share is although the queer family continues to diversify, collectively as a community it is more powerful if all are recognised and acknowledged.
As part of the continued expansion of the exhibition, Shields has been offering portrait sessions for local members of the rainbow community.
Portrait sessions are being held at Tūhura Otago Museum from 11am to 1pm tomorrow, and from 11am to 1pm, and 2pm to 4pm during the weekend.
These local portraits will then be added to the exhibition, which runs until April 26 at the Beautiful Science Gallery.
