On August 6, local artist and LBGTQ activist Kelly Hofer will reveal his much anticipated photography book: "Hutterite by Kelly Hofer" at a book release party and kickstarter launch at ARCHEloft in Calgary, Alberta. "Hutterite by Kelly Hofer" is a 240-page annotated book of photographs depicting (for the first time from the inside) the non-staged, colourful, and often mystified experience of growing up as a hutterite teenager on the Canadian prairies. Hofer captured the photos between the ages of 11 and 19 in his community and in neighbouring colonies in Manitoba. In 2012, he made the life-changing, difficult decision to leave the colony and publically come out as gay, igniting a national, mainstream conversation about LGBT hutterites for the first time. Hofer, now an accomplished photographer, technology/textile artist, and LGBT activist, has assembled this book in the hopes an honest portrayal from the inside will demystify the hutterite lifestyle.
"I started photographing life around me at age 11 and just saw it as a form of art. I didn’t consider my work or this series as a 'project' until leaving the colony in 2012, when I quickly realized just how misunderstood and mysterious the hutterite lifestyle is to outsiders," said Hofer. "All of the people in the book are my family, friends, community or neighboring colonies in Manitoba. With both perspectives on life I now have, it's the right time for me to release the book and show the remarkable beauty of Hutterite life."
The book release party and kickstarter launch for "Hutterite by Kelly Hofer" will be held at ARCHEloft on August 6, 2016 at 6pm. Guests will be able to view the book for the first time (and enter to win one of two books available to attendees that evening), be the first to pre-order personal copies through kickstarter stations (for delivery winter 2016), and browse a gallery of photos available as prints. Hofer will appear in conversation that evening, taking questions from the audience and from social media participants about his life and work.
Funds raised through the kickstarter campaign will fund the bulk print order required to make the book affordable long term: 750 books sold via kickstarter will result in the book being available for approximately $35 via kellyhofer.com/book, amazon and independent book sellers in 2017. If orders exceed the maximum required for the order (2,000), surplus funds will be donated to a fund supporting LGBT hutterites starting new lives outside colonies.
EVENT DETAILS
WHERE: ARCHEloft (#200, 1209 1st St SW),
WHEN: August 6, 2016 at 6:00pm
RSVP is requested. To attend send an email to kellyhofer@gmail.com with your name and "event RSVP" as the subject line, or through the Event page on Facebook.
On August 6, social media participants can engage with Kelly via Twitter: @KellyHofer #Hutteritebook
Further updates and kickstarter can be found at kellyhofer.com/book
