ROYCE SOBLE PAPERS at THE ROSE LIBRARy of emory university
The collection features 24 photograph albums, 8 journals, and a significant collection of born-digital materials by Royce Soble, providing a comprehensive documentation of the Atlanta lesbian and arts communities from 1992-2000 and beyond.
Photograph Albums (1992-2000): The photograph albums, primarily composed of 35mm color prints, capture vibrant scenes from drag shows, fashion shows, parties, and various events at local venues such as My Sister's Room and The Tower. The albums also chronicle Atlanta Pride celebrations, Soble's exhibitions, family events, vacations, and several lesbian weddings. Each album is annotated with captions and descriptions by Soble, providing valuable context and insights into the documented moments.
Journals (1982-2018): The collection includes 7 journals dating from 1982-1998, documenting Soble's adolescence and early adulthood with entries focused on coming of age, sexuality, and depression. There is significant overlap in the friends, associates, and events represented in the photographs and journals, providing a rich, interconnected view of Soble's life and experiences. Additionally, the collection contains a journal with writing prompts featuring entries from 1995-2018.
Born Digital Materials (2015-2021): The born-digital materials consist of 1246 photographs, many taken following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015, which required states to recognize same-sex marriages. These photographs include scenes at the Fulton County Courthouse and a Georgia Equality rally at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, as well as events in Midtown, Atlanta on June 26, 2015. Additionally, the collection captures the 101 Gay Weddings event hosted by chef Art Smith at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead, Atlanta on June 28, 2015. The born-digital materials also document vigils, protests, and other events held between 2016 and 2022, related to social and political topics including marriage equality, gun violence, racism and racial justice, immigration reform, reproductive rights, police brutality, and voting rights.
Three photograph collections acquired by MARBL
The Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL) at Emory University recently acquired three photograph collections that will enhance its archives of the arts and art history, Atlanta and Southern history, and the LGBT community.
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INTERVIEW BY CURATOR RANDY GUE ALONGSIDE FELLOW ARTIST, JON ARGE.
EMORY UNIVERSITY ROSE LIBRARY
OUR ARCHIVES COULD BE YOUR LIFE: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF JON ARGE & ALLI ROYCE SOBLE
One way to understand a city is through the lives of its residents, the lives of locals like Jon Arge and Alli Royce Soble. These Atlanta artists and photographers carried their cameras everywhere they went. Day after day, week after week, month after month, they photographed their friends, family, places, events, and happenings. Over time these photos took on additional significance and weight; they became documentation of communities in Queer Atlanta.
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“Through this daily creative practice of taking photographs, you can see them turning their life into art. Over time, these photographs became the stories, the histories, of a part of Atlanta, and Atlanta’s communities. This provides a model for all of us about how we can turn our lives into art, and how our lives become archives.”