THE ART WORLD: Preserving the Stories That Shape Us: Through the Lens of Apolo Gomez

Self portrait; © Apolo Gomez

For photographer Apolo Gomez, portraiture is about far more than capturing an image—it’s about preserving memory, honoring identity, and documenting communities whose stories have too often gone untold. Growing up between Southern California and rural southern New Mexico, Gomez developed an appreciation for the ways community and place shape identity. Although he explored many artistic mediums as a child, it wasn’t until surviving lymphoma in his early twenties that photography became his calling.

“Facing mortality transformed the way I understood time, memory, and the importance of preserving the people and moments that make up our lives,” Gomez says. “I began photographing those around me as a way of honoring relationships and creating a visual record of experiences that might otherwise disappear.”

Today, his work explores identity, culture, queerness, and belonging through intimate portraiture. Rather than directing his subjects, Gomez focuses on quiet moments that reveal authenticity.

“My photographs are often rooted in relationships, created through ongoing conversations with the people I photograph,” he explains. “More than anything, I hope my work encourages empathy and curiosity. I want viewers to slow down and spend time with the people in my work rather than make assumptions about them.”

As a queer Chicanx artist raised in rural New Mexico, Gomez often searched for reflections of himself in history and art but found few. That absence continues to inspire his work.

“Much of my work is an effort to build the archive I wish had existed when I was younger, one where queer, Chicanx, and working-class lives are not only represented, but recognized as essential parts of our cultural history.”

That mission is evident in projects like Tracing Queer Chicanx Histories, where Gomez documents overlooked stories from New Mexico’s LGBTQ+ community. While researching the project, he connected with Albuquerque drag legend Kenny Chavez, whose memories highlighted the importance of preserving local queer history.

“Hearing Kenny reflect on the friends and loved ones he lost reminded me how easily these histories can disappear when the people who lived them are no longer here to share their stories,” Gomez says. “Through this work, I hope to honor the people who built these communities and ensure their stories continue to be seen and remembered by future generations.”

That commitment also inspired his contribution to The Rest Is Drag, currently on view at 516 ARTS. Rather than photographing performers under stage lights, Gomez chose to document them in the personal spaces where their transformations begin.

Where We Become Ourselves by Apolo Gomez installation view from The Rest is Drag, 516 Arts, Albuquerque, NM, Curated by Olivia Amaya Ortiz, © Apolo Gomez, Photos by Daniel Ulibarri; Courtesy of 516 Arts

“My contribution to the exhibition grew from a desire to uplift drag performers by moving beyond the spectacle of the stage,” he says. “Each space is unique, filled with wigs, makeup, costumes, and mementos; they function as living archives, preserving stories of chosen family and community.”

The exhibition also features Pride on Route 66, a large-scale collage celebrating the 50th anniversary of Albuquerque Pride. For Gomez, who grew up without Pride celebrations in rural New Mexico, the project carries deep personal meaning.

“Growing up in rural New Mexico, Pride did not exist, so it was profoundly powerful for me to experience my first Pride in Albuquerque, the first time where I felt that members of our community are not only accepted, but are celebrated.”

Despite the technical demands of photography, Gomez believes the most meaningful images come from trust rather than perfection.

“The moment I know I have captured something meaningful is when the subject no longer feels like they are being photographed,” he says. “Those moments of trust and presence are what create the images that feel most honest to me.”

Looking ahead, Gomez plans to continue combining photography with archival research and oral histories while expanding his documentation of New Mexico’s queer communities.

“I hope to continue creating work rooted in empathy, collaboration, and representation,” he says, “work that ensures the stories of those who shape our community are seen, valued, and remembered.” For Apolo Gomez, photography isn’t simply about documenting the present. It is an act of preservation—one portrait, one memory, and one story at a time.
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Follow Apolo Gomez on social media @apologomez and at his website apologomez.com.