Barbara Hammer (1939–2019) is widely regarded as a pioneer of queer and feminist cinema and was among the first filmmakers to explicitly advocate for the visibility of lesbian realities.

Working across experimental and documentary film as well as photography, drawing, collage, and performance, she explored the dissolution of conventional gender roles, lesbian identity, and sexuality. Her work also addressed subjects often considered taboo, including aging, illness, and death.

Throughout her practice, Hammer challenged dominant narratives and social structures that marginalize or suppress representations of women. In the spirit of Expanded Cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, she pushed the formal boundaries of film, experimenting with optical printing and seeking a fusion of moving image, painting, sound, and text. Many of her projects also involved the active participation of the audience, extending the cinematic experience into performative space.

Cover: Barbara Hammer, Put a Lesbian in the White House, performance postcard (January 1980), Oakland, California. Photo: Fran Tonelli. All images © Estate Barbara Hammer, courtesy KOW, Berlin.