An Impossibly Normal Life — Matthew Finley

March 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Truth and Joy of a Constructed Past:

Fall Line Press Publishes Matthew Finley’s An Impossibly Normal Life

Four years ago, prompted by a passing comment from his mother about an uncle who was likely gay but died young, Matthew Finley set out to construct and celebrate a life that history had denied. In Finley’s interpretation, vernacular photographs are transformed into a celebration of an un-lived queer past, viewed through the lens of a fictional, alternate mid-century reality. An Impossibly Normal Life asks us to believe in a world where fluidity in gender and sexuality is a societal norm. Anonymous, discarded snapshots are expertly woven into a portrait of an infinite, idealized timeline that, while fabricated, rings emotionally true.

Finley’s work allows the historical silences of the queer archive to be viewed not with tragedy or secrecy, but with jubilation and unapologetic joy. The intentional rejection of the hiding and shame that typically characterize pre-1970s queer narratives frees the collection from the shadow of historical tragedy, allowing the viewer to embrace the profound acceptance of a world without a closet. In the world of An Impossibly Normal Life, an imagined Uncle Ken poses confidently in his youth, two grooms lean in for a kiss on their wedding day, and sailors share an affectionate embrace. By intentionally sequencing these found images, Finley liberates them from the restrictive prejudices of their era, encouraging the viewer to process the subjects as a singular, undeniable lineage.

Finley elevates these discarded snapshots into the embodiment of a celebratory spirit by physically intervening with the archive. The result is a family album full of radical queer joy: simultaneously nostalgic and visionary, grounded in the aesthetics of the mid-20th century, yet actively rewriting its harsh realities.

Printed on rich, uncoated paper, An Impossibly Normal Life mimics a classic family photo album, adorned with handwritten remembrances of first heartbreaks, love notes, and letters home. Ultimately, Finley’s book invites us to envision a more inclusive universe—one where the radiant joy of what could have been is celebrated, and still can be in our own.

  • Hardcover with tipped-in plate on the back
  • 9.5" x 11.5"
  • 132 pages
  • 286 offset printed images
  • Designed by Margaux Fraisse
  • ISBN 979-8-9929373-2-9
  • US$ 65.00

Biography

Matthew Finley

Matthew Finley (b. 1972) uses his photography to express himself and connect to the world around him. With a variety of photography processes, he explores intimate emotions through gesture and line to communicate his experience.

Growing up queer in an unaccepting environment, Finley felt apart from the world around him. Now, as an adult working through anxiety, the studio is a safe space to create where he can be vulnerable and express his true self. Creating and exhibiting his work is a way to forge relationships with viewers and help those who see themselves reflected in it to feel less alone. Finding inspiration in classic art and statuary, he addresses modern issues such as his coming out story, intimate relationships, and finding peace in our tumultuous world.

Based in Los Angeles, Finley’s work has shown in solo and group shows in multiple galleries across the U.S. Most recently, his work was on the walls of  the esteemed Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles with the likes of Herb Ritts and Herbert List. Other works have circled the globe as part of the FOTOFILMIC 17 traveling show and he has pieces in the permanent collections of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College Chicago, The Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, and the Center for Fine Art Photography. His images have also appeared in publications including Oxford American, Shots Magazine, and online outlets such as Lenscratch, among others. In 2024 Finley was awarded CENTER Santa Fe’s Personal Award as well as the Center for Photographic Art’s LGBTQ+ Artist Grant for his project An Impossibly Normal Life.