Ashley S and Ashwill S – Cape Town South AfricaKicking off this week, Elska Magazine marks its nine-year milestone. For nearly a decade, this dynamic indie “bookazine” has spotlighted forty-seven diverse issues, each curated in a unique city and capturing raw, compelling portraits and personal stories from the local queer community.
“It all started as an experiment,” explains Elska’s editor and chief photographer, Liam Campbell. “Back in 2015, I was balancing a flight attendant job and my budding side gig as a photographer, hoping to break into fashion. However, the more I worked in fashion, the more dispirited I became by the lack of respect afforded to photographers, crew, and especially models. I realized how stifling and painful conventional beauty standards could be. So, during my cabin crew layovers, I began photographing everyday queer men, rejecting the narrow confines of traditional beauty. This fulfilled me in ways I never expected. Eventually, I turned this approach into an indie magazine. My first stop was Lviv, Ukraine, where I met and photographed some local men, wove their stories together, and published what became Elska’s debut issue.”
“As Elska evolved, I introduced various refinements,” Liam continues. “I began inviting my subjects to share personal stories—honest glimpses into their lives—to deepen our understanding of them. My commitment to promoting diversity was intensified by public backlash. When complaints about diversity surfaced—targets being ‘too fat’, ‘too old’, ‘too fem’, or anything else not white—it only motivated me further. I truly believe that exposure can dismantle people’s preferences and prejudices.”
Alexie A – Sao Paulo BrazilSo far, Elska’s roster boasts issues from cities spanning almost every continent except Antarctica, including Reykjavík, Tbilisi, Bogotá, Dhaka, Cape Town, Belfast, Seoul, Casablanca, Montréal, São Paulo, and Almaty. This September sees the release of the forty-eighth issue from Melbourne, Australia. To date, 775 distinctive individuals have graced the pages of Elska, each accompanied by a personal story, creating a global tapestry of queer experiences.
Bruno V – Sao Paulo Brazil
Eric M – Atlanta Georgia“I’m incredibly grateful to have lasted this long,” Liam reflects. “Art is rarely sustainable or enduring, so huge thanks go out to all our supporters and participants over these nine years. Looking ahead, we’re on the brink of unveiling some major changes for our fiftieth issue, launching a ‘new era’ for Elska, and the location we’ve chosen is truly special.”
Elska print mags are available in select stores worldwide and online. Also on offer are e-mags, signed art prints, annual subscriptions, postcard sets, and more. Discover more at www.elskamagazine.com.
