In Borrowed Light and Girlfriend, artist talk with Michael James O’Brien (Online)

The Griffin Museum of Photography is honored to present an evening artist talk with visual artist, author, and activist, Michael James O’Brien. Mr. O’Brien will discuss his journey into photography, share his projects In Borrowed Light and Girlfriend and talk about the meanings behind the works, as well as, new projects.

He will examine the ideas of beauty, and identity thru a queer lens, and share the way that these concepts are at the deepest center of how he sees and experiences the world, and how it affects every aspect of his lens-based art, writing, teaching, and activism.

In addition, Michael will reflect on his mentors like Walker Evans, and Diane Arbus, and his highly successful career in fashion, lifestyle and portrait photography, but most importantly his decades of activism in the LBGTQIA+ community.

Photos Above L to R: Miss Guy, NYC, 1992 / c.2025michaeljamesobrien and Lavinia Co-op, NYC, 1992 / c.2025michaeljamesobrien.

About Michael James O’Brien

Michael James O’Brien is a photographer, mentor, curator, poet and activist currently based in Atlanta, GA where he is Chair of Photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design/SCAD.

O’Brien received the B.A. in English Literature from Kenyon College in 1969 and a B.F.A and M.F.A. from Yale University, where he studied with Walker Evans, in 1972.

He has had solo exhibitions in New York, Paris, Beijing, Hong Kong, Antwerp, Istanbul, Liverpool and Savannah GA, in addition to having work in the permanent collections of London’s National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum in Berlin, SCAD Museum of Art, the High Museum in Atlanta, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. 

His work has been featured in publications such as Rolling Stone, Vogue UK, The New Yorker, Elle Decor, GQ, Eyemazing, Black & White Photography UK, The Guardian, The Financial Times, Travel & Leisure among many others.

For over 20 years, O’Brien was a member of ACTUP as well as a volunteer for GMHC and Terrence Higgins Trust UK. He was a co-producer of the Love Ball in NYC & Paris, which, over the years, raised more than $3million for people living with HIV/AIDS. He was the Creative Director for DAA/Designers Against Aids in 2011-12 and produced the Live Positive Campaign for the Flemish HIV Awareness organization, SENSOA in 2013. To learn more about Michael James O’Brien click here.