Gay photo artist Dmitriy Gushchin

Biography of Dmitriy Gushchin LGBTQ photographer

Dmitriy Gushchin is a queer experimental visual artist based in Boston, Massachusetts. Born and raised in the Soviet Union, Dmitriy grew up in a toxic and homophobic environment that deeply shaped his worldview and artistic voice. At the age of 12, he began training in black-and-white film photography under the guidance of his father, managing his own darkroom and mixing chemical solutions by hand. As he transitioned to color film and later to digital photography, Dmitriy honed not only his technical skills but also his philosophy and aesthetic approach to art-making.

In 1992, Dmitriy fled Russia as a political refugee due to his activism for human rights. Boston became his new home—a place where he could live and create freely. As a queer artist, his personal history has made him acutely sensitive to the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, both societal and political. His art is a tribute to that experience: a way to honor, protect, and celebrate the bravery and uniqueness of every LGBTQ+ individual.

Dmitriy’s artworks have been exhibited across the United States and Europe, as well as in Canada, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. His portfolio includes four museum exhibitions, reflecting the international reach and cultural resonance of his work.

Artist’s statement:

Queer Myths Renascence

“We need myths that will identify the individual not with his local group but with the planet.” — Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

Myth plays a vital role in both individual and planetary mental integrity. It is a universal language that opens minds and hearts. Yet the scarcity of queer mythology limits our ability to express complex emotions—loss, tragedy, hope—especially within the LGBTQ+ community. This body of work is my attempt to restore the richness and nuance of queer myth.

As someone with a multifaceted identity—Russian and Ukrainian mix, American, gay, artist, scientist, healer, and mystic—my message is layered and intricate. Visual art offers the ideal medium to convey it. My work explores the intersections of humanity and technology, myth and history, death and desire, attraction and sexual identity, all through composite pictorial storytelling.

As a mystic, much of my inspiration comes from dreams, where the creativity of the subconscious becomes a guiding force. Lucid dreaming is my realm—a space where I connect most deeply with myself. Dreams, even nightmares, are powerful sources of energy, healing, and personal liberation. They offer a unique opportunity for self-discovery, and I hope viewers can relate to and cherish that experience as much as I do.

As a scientist, I’ve long been captivated by the concepts of time and space, and by the philosophical implications of our dependence on technology. In many ways, modern society has replaced nature with machines in the collective imagination. This is why mechanical elements—machinery, watch mechanisms—frequently invade my photographs. They represent both human comfort and aspiration, becoming companions to our emotional and spiritual lives.

My greatest motivation is the discovery of human nature in all its complexity—dark, sexual, humorous, loving, obsessive, and always beautiful. I believe that the true essence of human nature reveals itself in relation to the dynamics of space and time, creating a powerful energetic flow that forges a deep connection between artwork and viewer.

My greatest influences include Caravaggio, Gustave Moreau, James Bidgood, and Dorothea Tanning. Their work continues to inspire my own journey through myth, memory, and meaning.

Shows, awards and publications:

May-June 1999 Group Digital Art Show. Crystal Art Fine Art Gallery and Studio, Boston MA, USA.

October-November 2007 Personal HealMeStone Jewelry Show. Book World, Brookline, MA, USA.

September 2022 Artistonish Contemporary Art Magazine September 2022, Toronto, Canada.

October 2022 MAGIX 2022 Group Show. Exibizone, Toronto, Canada.

March 2023 MassArt Auction, Boston, MA, USA

April 17 – 26 ARTBOX EXPO at New York Art Week, New York, NY, USA

April 25 – May 25 2023 Inspirations 2023 Group Show. Exibizone, Toronto, Canada.

May 2023 Observica Contemporary Art Magasine – #23 – Special Edition 2023

June 1 – July 31 2023 TIME 2023 Group Show. Exibizone, Toronto, Canada.

June 1 – July 31 2023 WINGS 2023 Group Show. Exibizone, Toronto, Canada.

June 15  – August 15 2023 Gallerium Art Prize 2023. Gallerium, Toronto, Canada.

June 29 – July 29 2023 The Studio Door, San Diego, CA, USA. 6th Annual PROUD+ Exibition

July 2023 issue of The RAGE monthly Southern California Magazine

July 15 – September 15 2023 Rebellion 2023 Group Show. Exibizone, Toronto, Canada.

July 20 – September 20 2023 Curves 2023 Group Show. Exibizone, Toronto, Canada.

August 1 -31 2023 ARTBOX SHOW. Nicoleta Gallery, Berlin, Germany

August 28 – October 6 2023 Texas Photographic Scociety. TPS 31 The International Competition Group Show. Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, Odessa, Texas, USA.

September 1 – October 31 2023 Human Exhibition. Naturalist Gallery of Contemporary Art, Washington DC, USA.

September 6 – 10 2023 SWISSARTEXPO, Zürich, Switzerland

September 8 – October 28 2023 7th Annual National Juried Art Competition & Exhibition CCAN 2023: Center for Contemporary Arts, Abiliene TX, USA. 

October 6 – November 5 2023 The Wickford Art Association’s PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT ‘From Ordinary to Extraordinary’. North Kingston RI, USA

October 21 – November 22 2023 Mystery, Magic & the Macabre group show. DEINES CULTURAL CENTER, Russell KS, USA

November 1-30 2023 Andakulova Gallery, Dubai, UAE

November 1-30 2023 Thomson Gallery, Zug, Switzerland

November 3-18 2023 Kitsch and Kaboodle exhibition at ShockBoxx Gallery, Hermosa Beach, CA, USA

December 6-10 2023 The Art Basel Weeks Miami, art hotspot Wynwood, Miami, FL, USA

December 6-27 2023 Big Gay Art Show, Sedona Arts Center, Sedona, AZ, USA

December 5, 2023 – January 20, 2024 PRC Members Exhibition, VanDernoot Gallery, Cambridge, MA USA

December 23,  2023 Cambridge Day Newspaper Article, Cambridge, MA, USA

January 1 -January 30, 2024. Casa Del Arte Palma, Palma, Spain

January 19 – March 17, 2024. 2024 International Juried Exhibition at The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ USA

February 1 – 29 2024 ARTBOX SHOW. Nicoleta Gallery, Berlin, Germany

March 1 – 30 2024 ARTBOX SHOW. Thomson Gallery, Zug,  Switzerland

March 2024,  2024 TPS National Photography Award, Top 10 Finalist, Juror Olivia Parker.

April 1 – 30 2024 ARTBOX SHOW. Nicoleta Gallery, Berlin, Germany

April 1 – 13, 2024 MassArt Auction, Boston, MA, USA

April 12 – June 30 2024 Texas National Exhibition and Competition 2024, Austin State University, TX, USA

April 18 – July 14 2024 CAPE CODE MUSEUM OF ARTS. “Departures” Group Show. Dennis MA USA

May 1 -31 2024 Cipriarte Venezia Gallery, Venice, Italy

May 16 – June 14 2024 Beyond the Photograph: Artificial Intelligence, Photorealism & (Other) images that fool the eye show, Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts, Providance, RI, USA

July 1 -31 2024 Nicoleta Gallery, Berlin, Germany

July 2 – August 3 2024 7th Annual PROUD+Show, San Diego, CA, USA

August 21-25 2024 SWISSARTEXPO, Zürich, Switzerland

September 10-30, 2024 Andi Art Gallery, Athens, Greece

September 20 – November 22, 2024 Texas Photographic Scociety. TPS32 International Competition. Cain Art Gallery, Del Mar College, in Corpus Christi, Texas

October 4 – NOVEMBER 16, 2024 8th Annual National Juried Art Competition & Exhibition CCAN 2024: Center for Contemporary Arts, Abiliene TX, USA.  ***JURORS AWARD***

October 16 – 20 2024 PARIS ARTEXPO 2024. Galerie Agnes Nord, Paris, France.

April 3 -8 2025 ARTEXPO NEW YORK. New York, NY USA

April 3 – June 29 2025 CAPE CODE MUSEUM OF ARTS. “Dreamscapes and Inner Worlds” Group Show. Dennis MA USA

March 20 – May 4 2025. Sebastopol Center for the Arts. “Leftward Bound” Contemporary photography exhibision. Sebastopol, CA USA

July 3 – August 2 2025 8th Annual PROUD+Show, San Diego, CA, USA

July 11 – October 11 2025 ALEXANDREA MUSEUM OF ARTS. 38th September competition group show. Alexandrea, LA, USA

August 20-24 2025 SWISSARTEXPO, Zürich, Switzerland

September 14 – October 14 2025 MONMOUTH MUSEUM. “Through the lense” photography exhibision. Lincroft, NJ USA

You can access other pages of gay photo artist Dmitriy Gushchin from here:

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Portfolio by series:

Queer Mystical Tarot Series
Mythos
Urban Legends
Portraits
Atomic Heart Series
Time Rendezvous
What I must say

About the Artist

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