PHOTOGRAPHY: Paging Through Ian Lewandowski’s new book, The Ice Palace is Gone.

The Ice Palace is Gone features images of Ian Lewandowski’s close queer friends and acquaintances. The settings for each image is a space in which his subjects feel safe, from studios and bedrooms to dining rooms and outdoor spaces. 

“A lot of the things I was thinking about around that time were to do with safety. This idea that certain spaces can make you feel validated, while also being ‘very susceptible to being destroyed’”, says the  Brooklyn-based photographer in an interview with i-D.

A unique feature about Lewandowski’s work is that his specific aesthetic is derived from using a 19th century camera, which takes a long time to focus. This allows him to prompt his subjects to think carefully about their poses, positioning and thoughts while waiting for the camera to focus. 

“There's something interesting to me about how limiting [the camera] is. I think there's something almost liberating about having that limit. I can strive to make anything that I possibly can with it, even if it's hard,” adds Lewandowski in the same interview.

You can purchase a copy of The Ice Palace is Gone here.