Celebrate True To Form: Queer Conceptual Portraits by Sophie Spinelle

The Imperfecta Gallery is excited to present True To Form: Queer Conceptual Portraits by Sophie Spinelle. On view February 5-28 2026, the show includes portraits made by the photographer in collaboration with participants across a wide range of queer identities and lived experiences. This new body of work centers on notions of agency, authorship, and the constructed nature of visibility.

The show debuts on February 5, with an Opening Reception from 5 to 8pm -- during which we will also celebrate Imperfecta's new location in the Pearl District. The artist will also give an talk on February 7 at 2pm.

Sophie Spinelle is a gender radical, queer organizer, and a devoted mother of two who crafts photographs to upend assumptions about bodies, gender, queerness, and neurodivergence. Her identity-focused portrait projects amplify the voices and visions of queer, BIPOC, disabled, and neurodivergent people through collaborative portrait creation.

“At a cultural moment in which queer lives are both newly visible and increasingly contested,” explains the artist, “the images part of this solo show reflect personal histories and ways of knowing and living gender.”

About Sophie Spinelle

Sophie Spinelle explores themes of glamour, queerness, and identity in deeply collaborative ways to reveal the longings, losses, and power of her subjects. She studied painting at Sarah Lawrence College before turning her focus to photography in 2009. Spinelle’s photographs have been exhibited in the United States and Europe, and published in The New York Times, People, and SFMoMA on the Go.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher imperfecta.