From Central Park to gallery walls: ‘Cruising in the Shadows’ explores NYC’s hidden gay history

Before we had Grindr, we had our eyes. Cruising goes legit in a new art exhibit uncovering historical and contemporary perspectives.

Mark Mark
Jun 13, 2025 - 20:00
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The Rambles, Central Park circa 1960s
The Ramble, Central Park, circa 1960s. Photo: Arthur Tress.

Before we had Grindr, we had our eyes. Maybe it was a nod of the head, or a mischievous grin that led one party to believe the other was interested in more than a friendly hello. Cruising, by necessity, has been an integral part of gay culture, probably since the beginning of time. (Nyankhkhnum and Khnumhotep seemed to be having a good time in ancient Egypt.) Now, one New York City art gallery brings cruising out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

Cruising in the Shadows: Uncovering Secret LGBTQ+ Culture in New York City (apexart, June 6 – July 26) presents never-before-seen photos by Arthur Tress, archival materials, and modern-day reflections on cruising culture. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Tress photographed a staggering number of subjects in the Ramble, the infamous Central Park cruising spot. His work serves as a foundation for the exhibit, curated by writer, photographer, and multimedia artist Matthew Terrell.

The Rambles, Central Park circa 1960s
The Ramble, Central Park, circa 1960s. Photo: Arthur Tress.

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Cruising in the spotlight

Terrell also carefully selected materials from the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, including a 1982 edition of Bob Damron’s Address Book (an early printed guide of cruising locations), a panel from the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and illustrations by contemporary artist Robert Sherer.

Terrell collaborated with Sherer to draw the connection between the past and present. The woodburning drawings reference all-American comics like Archie, but with a grown-up flair, such as a locker room scene featuring a logo referencing the Racket & Tennis Club, a men-only athletic club once known for its steamy, secluded action.

While most of the exhibit can be explored online, one particular piece can only be experienced in person: the 1991 Guggenheim Award-winning short film Son of Sam and Delilah by Charles Atlas, a queer reimagining of Son of Sam.

A gay man holds a protest sign in Forest Hills, Queens.
In 1969, photographer Arthur Tress captured this image of a gay man protesting the destruction of Forrest Hills, after an ax-wielding mob chopped down more than 30 trees to deter gay cruising in Queens, New York. Photo: Arthur Tress.

At first glance, viewers may consider Cruising in the Shadows a fun diversion to get out of the heat on a hot New York City summer day. And while the exhibit does deliver that alluring promise. Terrell, through his curation process, uncovers a more nuanced perspective.

“Cruising is not an expression of something deviant or trying to break the rules,” Terrell tells GayCities, “but it is something done out of necessity for lacking other spaces for queer people to exist and gather. That is why cruising happens and why cruising has also faded.”

Cruising in the Shadows: Uncovering Secret LGBTQ+ Culture in New York City is on exhibit at apexart, June 6 through July 26, 2025.

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