Kevin Kirkwood sits down with celebrated artist, critic, and museum professional Hal Fischer for an intimate conversation recorded at Fischer’s home in San Francisco. Known for his groundbreaking Gay Semiotics series and influential writing on photography in the 1970s, Fischer reflects on a career that spans more than four decades and continues to shape contemporary understandings of visual culture and queer identity.
From his early days contributing to Artforum and Artweek, to his pivotal role in establishing San Francisco Camerawork, to his long tenure as a museum consultant, Fischer shares personal stories, insights, and the ideas that fueled his creative evolution. The conversation traces his return to the spotlight through recent retrospectives, renewed interest in his photographic work, and the ongoing relevance of his visual language.
Recorded among the books, artwork, and personal history that fill his San Francisco home, this episode offers a rare, firsthand look at one of the Bay Area’s most distinctive artistic voices.
Tune in for a thoughtful, candid discussion that explores art, community, memory, and the enduring impact of Hal Fischer’s vision.
HAL FISCHER
@hal.fischer
CASEMORE GALLERY
Casemoregallery.com
@casemoregallery
Produced by KEVIN KIRKWOOD
kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast
Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.
This episode was recorded September 27, 2025 in San Francisco, CA.
Photo: Kurt Edward Fishback
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.