Ryan McGinley Captures Queer Community in Rimowa's New Edition of 'Der Eigene'

For the latest edition of iconic queer journal Der Eigene, produced by Rimowa, the work of celebrated photographer Ryan McGinley takes center stage.

A tribute to his community as a queer artist in New York City, McGinley’s contribution to this year’s issue is a love letter to the people who make up his world. Published annually during Pride Month, Der Eigene celebrates queer culture. Its title, translated from German, most closely refers to self-expression and self-possession: living life on one’s own terms. McGinley’s work anchors the zine’s fifth annual edition, released on June 26.

Der Eigene is a contemporary revival of the historic German queer publication of the same name. Originally established in Berlin in 1896, it was founded by writer, anarchist, and early LGBTQ+ rights activist Adolf Brand. Avant-garde, erotic, and truly groundbreaking in its content, Der Eigene occupies a singular place in history as the world’s first openly gay periodical.

From 1896 to 1932, the magazine published poetry, prose, photography, and art documenting the queer experience. Persisting despite the constant threat of censorship and societal backlash, Der Eigene championed equality and acceptance against the odds.

In an effort to honor Germany’s queer history while bringing a vital cultural touchstone into the present, German luxury luggage manufacturer RIMOWA revived Der Eigene in 2022 and has published it annually ever since. Continuing the publication’s storied focus on documenting and preserving queer cultural life through artistic expression, the initiative ensures both the magazine and everything it represents will continue to endure.

This year’s edition spotlights photographer Ryan McGinley, whose iconic portraiture has become synonymous with capturing queer life and community in New York City. In 2003, at just 25 years old, he became one of the youngest artists to receive a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. McGinley’s work moves in step with the city itself—raw, unapologetic, and deeply visceral. He photographs his friends and subjects in their natural environments, allowing individual expression and identity to shape each image.

For his contribution to Der Eigene, McGinley pays homage to the publication’s founding ideals of self-expression and self-possession through a contemporary act of archiving. By documenting those closest to him—the artists who inspire him daily and form his creative community—he captures queer creativity and culture as it exists today, creating a living record of its history.

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Produced in a limited edition by Rimowa, this year’s installment of Der Eigene is available at select locations of Bookmarc in New York City, Climax London, Andreas Murkudis in Berlin, and Yvon Lambert in Paris.