Alexey Kim Portfolio

I am an independent queer visual journalist and photographer based in New York, documenting LGBTQIA+ culture, social movements, and creative expression through photography and video. My work focuses on empathy, identity, and visibility, spanning protest coverage, nightlife, and intimate portraits of community life. I have produced both independent and commissioned projects, with work appearing in The New York Times, Vogue, New York Magazine, The Cut, Dazed Digital, Hyperallergic, them., and more. Whether working on assignment or self-initiated documentary projects, I aim to tell stories that reveal resilience, complexity, and joy within marginalized communities.

Portraits of Prince Faggot Cast

New York, NY 2025

I was commissioned to shoot portraits of the all-queer and trans cast of Prince Faggot for social-media use. Two portraits below, featuring the leading trans women, were published in Vogue in the article “The Women of ‘Prince Faggot’ Find Their Light.”

The Latex Ball at Terminal 5

New York, NY 2025

The Latex Ball was first organized by GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) in 1990 to raise awareness of the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic within the ballroom community. Since 1993, it has become an annual tradition. While it continues to raise awareness and provide resources, it is also still a space where the community gathers in (mostly) friendly competition for trophies and cash prizes.

Femme Queen Face category. Sade (left) vs. ballroom icon Tanay Penda’vis (right).

Butch Queen European Runway category.

A fight erupts during the Legendary Runway category.

Old Way category.

New Way category.

Looks from the Gender Non-Conforming Runway.

Rhizome World Exhibit at WSA

New York, NY 2025

Rhizome’s inaugural exhibition Hello World took over the 8th and 9th floors of the Water Street Project building from April 18 to May 11, 2025. Over four consecutive weeks, Rhizome curated a program of interactive installations, artist talks, and performances. I was invited to photograph the opening event.

Guests experiencing Heaven & Earth Diptych by Emmett James Palaima- a spatial-audio installation featuring a dozen suspended speakers above a stage with a built-in sub-woofer that emitted music, ambient sounds, and deep vibrations, best experienced while lying on the stage itself.

Tax Heaven 3000 by MSCHF, curated by Thalia Stefaniuk- a satirical dating simulator that doubles as a tax-preparation tool. MSCHF, a Brooklyn-based art collective, blurs the line between art and social commentary.

Thalia Stefaniuk enjoying the simulator.

Halcyon.exe: The Ride by Mark Fingerhut, curated by PWA (Alison Sirico and Sam Black)- a nostalgic digital installation that engages the senses while evoking the aesthetics of early web culture.

Wiederhoeft SS25

New York, NY 2024

I was commissioned to photograph Wiederhoeft’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection during New York Fashion Week. The collection, titled Manifesto, celebrated the brand’s five-year anniversary and introduced a size-inclusive ready-to-wear corsetry program available in 68 sizes.

Size-inclusive corsetry remains relatively rare in high-fashion ready-to-wear space. The signature “WASP” corset was presented by 26 women of varying body types, each dressed in identical bridal attire.

Japanese dancer Mio Ishikawa opened the show with a performance wearing the Mio gown adorned with mother-of-pearl shells.

Part fashion show and part performance, the event culminated theatrically as the “brides” surrounded Mio Ishikawa in a swirl of movement before offering her a white rose. The show ended as Mio rose from her chair, dropped the roses, and made a final lap to close the presentation.

Vela de las Auténticas Intrépidas Buscadoras del Peligro

Juchitán de Zaragoza, Mexico 2024

For the past 50 years, the festival Vela de las Auténticas Intrépidas Buscadoras del Peligro- a celebration honoring Mexico’s third gender, the muxes- has taken place in the Istmo de Tehuantepec region of Oaxaca. In Zapotec culture, muxes have been integral to the fabric of society since pre-colonial times. Every November, thousands of attendees travel to Juchitán de Zaragoza to participate in a week-long program of events and festivities. This year marks my fourth trip to document and learn more about this unique culture.

The traditional weekend begins with Regada de Frutas (“Fruit Throwing Parade”) on Friday evening, the prelude to the main event of the weekend- La Vela. The parade is a vibrant Zapotec tradition symbolizing generosity, abundance, and community, with muxes showering the crowd with fruit and household gifts.

A muxe matriarch, Felina Santiago, marches through the streets during Regada de Frutas.

La Misa is the church mass typically held on Saturday afternoon before La Vela. The mass holds deep cultural and spiritual significance: it is a moment for participants to honor and seek blessings from the divine, pay homage to their identities, their community, and their loved ones.

This celebration is deeply rooted in Zapotec tradition, where muxes who identify outside the binary gender system, are recognized and celebrated as integral members of society. The mass provides a moment of spiritual reflection and gratitude, acknowledging the muxes’ contributions while asking for strength and protection in the face of societal challenges.

By including this religious component, La Vela bridges muxes’ cultural identity with broader spiritual traditions, symbolizing a harmonious coexistence of indigenous and Catholic practices. The ritual underscores resilience and pride while affirming muxes’ connection to both community and faith.

A muxe at La Misa wearing huipil grande, a traditional headdress associated with Tehuana women of Oaxaca.

Spectators outside of La Misa. The mass is held in a small church unable to host a large crowd that gathers to witness it.

The outfits at La Misa vary, but will always have a traditional nod.

This year marks La Vela’s 50th anniversary. Begun in 1975 as a small private celebration, it has grown into a major event drawing thousands from around the world. Over the years, La Vela has expanded to include workshops and community programs that foster creativity and activism. The celebration highlights achievements, shared experiences, and collective resilience.

2024 Queen Naomi Méndez makes a grand entrance ahead of her inaugural performance.

Mística, one of the most well-known and respected muxes in the community.

Red de Mujeres Lesbianas y Sexodisidentes del Istmo (Network of Lesbian Women and Sex Dissidents of the Isthmus), a local collective advocating for social and reproductive justice

Last year’s mayordomo which literally translates to “Butler” (middle), is the person responsible for organizing and financing major elements of the celebration, including the venue and performers.

La Vela serves as a gateway for self-expression. While most attendees choose traditional attire, others embrace extravagant costumes or dress up in drag.

Terry O’Neill’s “Stars“ at Fotografiska

New York, NY 2023

On June 1, 2023, Fotografiska launched an exhibit of Terry O’Neill’s 50 year photographic career titled “Stars.“ His ex-wife Faye Dunaway was in attendance and posed in front of the iconic portrait of a morning after winning her Oscar for her role in a 1976 film “Network.“

Community organizer Qween Jean opened the memorial with an impassioned speech.

On the evening of Friday, August 4, members of the LGBTQIA+ community gathered at the gas station for an emergency memorial and protest action. The event was organized by Qween Jean of Black Trans Liberation; the LGBTQ+ Center Destination Tomorrow; community-service organization Ballroom We Care Inc.; #HouseLivesMatter; and The NEW Pride Agenda, with support from Caribbean Equality Project, G.L.I.T.S., and the NYC Anti-Violence Project.

The evening culminated in an impromptu voguing ball that transformed into a street protest, concluding at the Kings Highway train station around 10 p.m.

O’Shae Sibley Vigil

Brooklyn, NY 2023

On July 29, 2023, 28-year-old dancer O’Shae Sibley was fatally stabbed after voguing to Beyoncé at a Mobil gas station in Midwood, Brooklyn. Seventeen-year-old high-school student Dmitriy Popov was arrested and charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime. The photo series from the protest was acquired and published by Hyperallergic in the article “O’Shae Sibley Vigil Shows a Community Fighting for Justice.”

Community organizer Qween Jean opened the memorial with an impassioned speech.

The evening culminated in an impromptu voguing ball that transformed into a street protest, concluding at the Kings Highway train station around 10 p.m.

Video Work

2025

In early 2025 I began producing, directing, and filming a short-form documentary series titled Killas Confessions. The project aims to create social-media-focused content highlighting creative individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community and the moments that define them. The first six episodes of the series have accumulated over 500,000 views on Instagram alone.

March 2, 2024, New York, NY

On the Global Day of Action for Palestine, I filmed and interviewed participants at Washington Square Park to learn what brought them there. Interviewed, filmed, and edited by me.

June 24, 2022, New York, NY

Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which ended the federal constitutional right to abortion, people took to the streets of New York City to express their outrage. Interviewed, filmed, and edited by me.