The Down and Out Archive allows a glimpse into the lives of suburban men before and during the AIDS pandemic through a collection of over 700 Polaroids taken sporadically from 1978-1992. The images, captured by an anonymous photographer and FF Master with a large partner base, depict primarily White, but also Black and Latino, men at play, poised in states of ultimate submission, and aging. The archive, acquired by Sean Griffin in 2010, implies encounters that tell a story about anonymous queer men’s bodies in Los Angeles, primarily in the ’80s, a period deeply impacted by the AIDS crisis. In this panel discussion on the archive, Griffin is joined by Ron Athey and Reyah for a conversation that questions how queer people look at each other through time and reflects on generational loss—those missing granddaddies and great granddaddies—through the photos’ explicit, intimate portrayal of a time before and during the emergence of safe sex practices. The evening will offer a peephole view of a generation of gay men mostly known through activism, art, mourning, and the embracing culture that still resonates with queers today. “Don’t go, Daddy!: Unseen Polaroids from the Down and Out Archive, 1978-1992” will take place at One Gallery on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, from 7-8:30 p.m. https://circafestival.org/event/dont-go-daddy-unseen-polaroids-from-the-down-and-out-archive-1978-1992/