Jaargang V – nummer 7 - july 2014

Jaargang V – nummer 7 - july 2014
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To the choir
Foundation for Queer Art, or Quast, likes to aid and promote queer art. By informing and networking
and occasionaly organising an artshow. Queering Art is a groupshow where all participating artists
reflect on their position in the wide field of glbt and queer art in the Netherlands. Local artist Bart
Drost hosts the show in his large workshop (www.maasartistresidence.nl) july 26-27. More about the
participating artists, their position and their work on www.stichtingquast.nl. Both sites are in Dutch,
sorry.
One of the participating artists is painter Peter Colstee. He is one of the board members of our little
foundation. His work can be seen life during the open air art market MoMarkt july 6th (12pm) in
Arnhem. More info on his site: www.petrcolstee.com. And that one is also in English.
Enjoy your Glimp!
Queerussia, the hidden (p)art
In 2013 Holland commemorated the establishment of diplomatic ties with Russia some 400 years
ago. More than 300 concerts, conferences, exhibitions and festivals in the Netherlands and Russia
were organised to celebrate the occasion. During none of these –state funded- venues the
deteriorating human rights situation of glbt’s was adressed. Only gay owned Galerie Mooiman took
the initiative of showing glbt and queer art made by present day Russian artists. Queerussia the
hidden (p)art showed paintings, photographs and video works. A second art show was conceived to
be shown in several cities in Russia but had to be cancelled for … lack of funding.
Queerussia, Lindenberg-terraces, Nijmegen, 2014. Fotomontage by Sandro Kortekaas, Galerie Mooiman.
Images from the exhibit were printed on large canvases to form an outdoor version of Queerussia
the hidden (p)art. This installation was shown during the Out Games in Antwerp (Belgium),
Homotopia Festival (Liverpool) and Pride Oldenburg (Germany). Next stop is Nijmegen in the
Netherlands.
Vierdaagse Zomerfeesten
Nijmegen hosts one of the largest Summerfestivals in Holland. Some 1 mio
people visit the festival that is held on the occasion of a traditional 4 day sport
event: the walking marches. Part of the festival is a Pink Wednesday where
the city celebrates its glbt diversity. Participants of the marches dress up in
Pink attire and receive a boisterous welcome when the return in the city after
their day’s march. This year a new walking group called Walk Together takes
part in the marches. It consists of glbt activist from different Russian cities and
they are accompanied by member of the Nijmegen lgbt youthgroup. During the festival Queerussia,
the hidden (p)art will be shown in the local Roze Huis, the glbt community center. And on Pink
Wednesday the outdoor installation will be shown on a central location in the city.
Manifesta10
Coinciding with Queerussia the hidden (p)art in Nijmegen is the international artbiennale
Manifesta10 in Sint Petersburg. This artbiennale has been organised by the Amsterdam based
Manifesta organisation. It ignored several requests –first- by glbt- and –next- by artists groups to
exchange the Sint Petersburg location for a more appropriate one. Manifesta first stated that arts
discursive powers could be used in the dialogue about human rights in Russia. But Kaspar König the
Manifesta curator later declared that art should not be misused by “certain groups for their own
political ends”. You can gues who he meant. The Russian art group Chtho Delat (What to do) that was
to organise the education programm cancelled its cooperation.
Surprisingly Kaspar König was managing director of the Ludwig Museum (Cologne, Germany) in 2006
when it hosted Das Achte Feld, the largest European show of gay art, to date. Now he did proudly
announce the participation in the Manifesta10 of one gay Russian artist Vladislav Mamyshev. It will
be interesting to see whether the discursive power of art will enable Vladislav to participate in the
dialogue. Manifesta10 is expected to last to October 31st. More info: www.manifesta.org.
Meanwhile more glbt and queer Russian artists show their work in Nijmegen than in Sint Petersburg.
Among them Andrey Bartenev, Seva Galkin, Alexander Kargaltsev, Sergej Sovkov en Alexander
Tikhonov. Opening sundag july 13th, 3 pm: Roze Huis Nijmegen. Pink Wednesday, july 16th, 11am5pm: Lindenberg-terrasses.
Books
Alexander Kargaltsev nowadays lives and works in New York. He was one of the
first Russian gay men to seek asylum in the US. He started photographing the
growing number of gay refugees from Russia. These photographs have
previously been shown in New York and were published in the book Asylum.
Galerie Mooiman produced a Dutch edition of the book on the occasion of
Kargaltsevs first exhibition in the Netherlands (€ 27,50). Seva Galkin is still living
in Russia, working not only as photographer and editor in chief of the gay site TGuy.ru. But he is now
also directing his first films. He has published several books. His most recent being Here I am: €
37,50. Both books can be ordered at the new internet store of Galerie Mooiman: www.mooi-man.nl.
Black on White
A few months ago a new piece by queer artist Bjarne Melgaard caused
an uproar. When papers published the photo of a white woman sitting
on a chair formed by a black female body. His chair referred to an
earlier work by artist Allen Jones (1969) showing a white women in the
same position. Melgaard insited that he “as a homosexual” was
perfectly suited to comment on issues of race, sex and violence.
Internet exploded with indignation. Alexander Kargaltsev reacted to the situation in his own way. The
work is on show in Nijmegen.
Hooligans
Work of Russian photographer Seva Galkin is also on show in New York.
Curated by collegue Alexander Kargaltsev. Both also participate in the
Queerussia art show in Nijmegen. The New York exhibition shows pictures of
thugs, bullies, rough trade: Hooligans. Another venue in his research into the
representation of masculinity. His work is clearly reminiscent of the social
realism of the sovjet official art. And even of the visual language of Italian and
German fascism. I wonder what Susan Sontag would have to say about this
persistent resurfacing of totalitarian aesthetics in gay art. Opening luy 3d:
315 Seigel Street, 216, Brooklyn, NY. More: www.advocate.com.
My Female Eye and Posing for Karma
These days you can see the men of Mooiman travelling around the country promoting gay art and
around Europe showing their Queerussia project. One could easily forget that they own a gallery that
plays a prominent role in the gay art scene. Gay because their main theme is representation of the
(nude) male (body). Now on show are two exhibitions. My Female Eye shows work by an
international group that reflects the growing
number of female artists that visualise the male
body from a female perspective. The concept of the
female gaze from the sixties and seventies is not
completely forgotten. Posing for Karma shows new
work of the German artist Rinaldo Hopf, whose book
Trickster, artworks 1968-2013 was designed by
Sandro Kortekaas of Galerie Mooiman himself.
Trickster, 196 pages, with texts in German and
English by lots of Promis -a german term of
endearment for people of importance. Among them: Edward Lucie Smith, mr gay art himself, Del
LaGrace Volcano, Wieland Speck and publisher Claudia Gehrke. More: www.rinaldohopf.com. Signed
copies on request: just send him a personal e-mail (info@etc). ISBN: 3887697820. € 30,-.
Gay Gaze and Lesbian Look
I mentioned publisher Claudia Gehrke. Her company
(www.konkursbuch.com) produces leftist and libertarian books.
Claudia Gehrke about the erotica she publishes: “The language of
eroticism in our series of erotic books is mainly presented by women.
So we published photobooks by the female photographers Anja
Müller, Claude Alexandre, Claire Garoutte, Krista Beinstein, Rebecca
Swan, or by the intersex-photographer Del LaGrace Volcano. And by
some male photographers which "let the women show themselves"
or (…) that have photographed lesbian couples like Thomas Karsten.”
Among the book two titles are of special interest to us. Mein
Lesbisches Auge and Mein Schwules Auge . She herselve edits the
lesbian and Rinaldo Hopf is part of the editing team of the gay
edition of this Jahrbuch der Erotik, erotic yearbook. Each edition
some 300 pages texts and visuals. Mein Lesbisches Auge started in 1998 and its little brother Mein
Schwules Auge has been published every year since 2003. The yearbooks contain graphics, paintings,
photographs, short stories, essays, lyrics, information, conversations ... and give an overview of
queer, lesbian and gay art and literature mainly but not only from Germany. They reflect the variety
and changes in every sector of glbt and queer art or better eroticism. The many contributors to these
volumes are of different ages, have different backgrounds, are famous or unknown.
Presently Rinaldo Hopf and collegue Alex Schock are gathering contributions for the next edition of
Mein Schwules Auge and they especially invite artists from other countries and abroad to send in
proposals: info@rinaldohopf.com.
In Between
First photography project by Chantal Winatasasmita. Showing present day lifes of
homosexual youth in a heterosexual world. It shows portraits of eleven
youngsters that welcome you to a view into their private lives. In Amsterdam at
IHLIA till july 26th. More: IHLIA.nl.
Heritage
In the Heritage section I present bits of news about artists that at
one time or other exhibited their work in Villa Lila. Over the past
decades some 500 artists have participated in shows there. Most
came from the Netherlands or countries from Europe but a
handfull came from Canada and the US. And even some from
Australia, Thailand, Brasil and South Africa. But today we stay close
to home. Galerie Zeven Zomers is a local gay owned gallery and
painter sculptor Jan van Strien, who happens to have a gallery too, participates in the summer show.
He will show bronzes, Christ Goossens stone sculptures and Joshua Pennings modern forgings. And
propietor Eelko van Iersel abstract paintings. Opening july 11th by Marijke Brouwer, director of the
local Valkhof Museum. More: www.zevenzomers.nl.
Genderblender
Femininity, masculinity, and everything in between. In their work artists Hanneke Wetzer and Leonie
Baauw focus on the sliding scale between 100% XX and 100 % XY chromosomes or between male and
female. In short in their work they think about gender.
GenderBlender can best be seen as an reflective extension of their artistic practices. They succeeded
in bringing together a wide range of internationally acclaimed works centered on gender. Films,
photographs, installations, sculptures, drawings and performances that offer a challenge and raise
questions, but that will also trigger that reflection. It does just that with a gay mix of works that put a
smile on your face, works that are cause for a frown and finally works that provoke new venues of
thinking. And besides its comical, political and theoritical merits it is a beatifully composed and
produced art show that reflects the pleasure with which it has been made.
The exhibitions fringe programme contains various debates, lectures, performances and vaudeville
acts, workshops and films. And as a litle cherry on the cake a beautifal catalogue was produced by
the editorial team of the flamboyant Et Alors? magazine, itself no stranger to gender experiments.
And if you visit the show, look carefully at your ticket. Someone even thought about making it part of
the Genderblending experience.
Photo: Dennis Veldman | Make-up: Joost Gimbel | Model: Sven Ratzke
GenderBlender includes work by Silvia B., BeAnotherLab, the amazing installation of Heather Cassils,
Matthijs Holland, impressive and intriguing drawings by Hannah Honeywill, Han Hoogerbrugge, Rad
Hourani, JJ Levine, Marie Losier | Genesis P. Orridge & Lady Jaye, Roland Maas, Gabriel Maher, Tareq
Sayed Rajab de Montfort, Mr and Mrs Murray, Anaisa Franco Nascimento, Barbara Nordhjem, Hana
Pesut, Willem Popelier, Pyuupiru, Emmet Ramstad, Sven Ratzke & Dennis Veldman, Coco Riot, Villa
heritage Antoine Timmermans & Tim Lienhard, Petra van Velzen, Charlotte Vlaanderen, Rein
Vollenga and Charlie White. And Wetzer & Baauw her%/him% selves.
The weekend that glbt’s go Pride the streets of Eindhoven, GenderBlender offers al queers a
Weekend Special on 4, 5 and 6 July with debates, lectures (Uta Brandes) , performances, workshops,
vaudeville and films. Artists Heather Cassils and Hannah Honeywell wil lattend. More –and also the
latest news: website and Facebook. Exhibition till august 17th.
Tip
In the Hague paintings by Kevin Hendley (1961). Painting is his second career after have been a
butcher . He graduated St. Martins College of the Arts (1992) and the became Artist in Residence of
the Royal Opera House in London. Pretty mysterious paintings in subdued colours reminiscent of the
thirties. Till july 20th. More: www.smelik-stokking.nl.
DIY
Amsterdam based Pride Photo Award is an
international photo contest. It started five years
ago and has developed into a worldwide gay
photography project. A contest for amateurs and
professionals alike. This years main theme is
Getting Closer but there are several thematic
categories one can compete in. All deal with sexual
and gender diversity. Last year more than 400
photographers participated. Cindy Aquino from
the Phillipines was presented with the 2013 Pride
Photo Award during a meeting in the Oude Kerk,
the oldest monumental building in the city. Part of the price is a ticket to and a stay in Amsterdam.
This years ceremony will take place august 29th and a show of all winners will take place in the same
church till the end of october. Last years show was visited by 20.000 people. On the site of the
organisation there is a special page about the 2014 contest that contains info on this years contest a
can be used to send in pics for competition in the contest. The site also contains an interesting
archive of pictures by winners in the various categories of the last last five years. If you’ld like to
participate you have to hurry. Photo’s can be sent in till Sunday July 13th. More:
www.pridephotoaward.nl. Pic: last years winner Cindy Aquino from the Philippines.
Graduation Shows I
Every year some 1000 students graduate from the Dutch art
academies. Of these only a handful present themselves as a
feminist, gender or queer artist. In this neo-liberal era
education policies reflect the market. And, let’s face it,
economics are still pretty straight. Ever heard of queer
marketing during your art training?
But a visit to the graduation shows with your eyes open and
gaydar switched on, does reveal new talents. Lets start at Willem de Kooning academy in Rotterdam.
And with a photography student like Cindy Damen. She is exceptional with her straightforward
approach of her subject: the life of transgenders. But, though refreshing, I could not really see
whether her perspective, or that of her models, is quite that queer. Down to earth Dutch
documentary? Next there were beautiful pics of equally beautiful male models: gaydar alert! Made
by Jasper Rens van Es whose work I knew from the Dutch gay-ish fashion(able) magazine Ferry:
gaydar confirmation beep. Also rare classically feminist work about the genderterror towards todlers
by designer Gemma de Schepper (no site?) and the project Diversify, person, place and appearance
about normativity and female beauty in different cultures by graphic designer Britt Hoogenboom.
And finally the work of Dirk Hardy. Following in the footsteps of Erwin Olaf –presently the best and
most famous queer Dutch photographer-. And of –up and coming- Pieter Henket ; Dirk did an
internship with him in his New York studio. He has produced Clay, deconstructing the language of
ideology. An astonishingly clever study in the aesthetics and visual language of power and its way to
assert or -in newspeak- to perform dominance. Clay refers to a quote of Leonardo da Vinci: “A vase
of unbaked clay when broken, can be remoulded. A baked one can not.” In Dirks vision art is the
remoulding force. And his optimism is as queer as his work.
More: www.cindydamen.com, www.jasperrensvanes.com, www.britthoogenboom.nl,
www.dirkhardy.com. Pic: graduation show with its weird lay out
Pride season
Dutch Pride this year is july 5th in Eidhoven, once the Philips
capital of the world. The old electronics plants, R&D labs and
the endless rows of offices have been renovated, gentrified,
converted –whatever- into art- and culture centers and the city
into a center of modern (industrial) design. This years location
of national Pride, Roze Zaterdag, Pink Saturday, also presents an
arts programm. Several local galleries participated in a cultural
tour that included the famous, local, Van Abbe Museum.Though
very highly regarded in Hollands mainstearm artscene it succeeded in almost completely ignoring
little social movements like feminism. Pretty embarrasing when you realise the gap in Once upon a
time.. The Collection Now, a new presentation of its modern art collection. In the new Eindhoven
there is MU-Strijp with its breathtalkingly beautiful Genderblender exhibition. And somewhere half
way between Mu and Van Abbe on the edge of all this modern art is the little Nasty Alice gallery
that nevertheless succeeded in organising SEX a small but international artshow with Julia Boix
Vives, Satyriconte Collective (Fr), Jolanda Jansen, Karin Janssen (UK), Jeroen Kool, Katarzyna Kukula
(Pl), Agata Kus (Pl), Edtih Meijering, Menno van der Meulen, Myrthe Rootsaert, Johannes Verwoerd.
That’s your Google homework for this issue of GLIMP! Also part of the Sex artshow is young artist
Tobias Suir (see pic). His graduation project (2013) consisted of a series of portraits he made of
visitors of a gay cruising area in a Dutch town. His documentary photography of gay life does quite
contrast with the sofisticated queer art of Genderblender. Strange opposites, but both part of the
same rainbow. Till july 26th. More: www.galerienastyalice.nl.
Queer Art in Belgium
In Belgium several attempts were made to establish a gay or queer art
gallery in recent years but none have endured. There are of course
gay owned galleries that occasionally show glbt or queer art, but
these events are rare and far apart. But bookstore ’t Verschil (The
Difference: www.verschil.be) and the glbt community centers Roze
Huis (Pink House: www.hetrozehuis.be ) in Dutch speaking Antwerp
and Maison Arc en Ciel (Rainbowhouse: www.alliage.be) in French speaking Liège host art shows.
And of course more and more artists get interested in glbt and queer art. Wim Delvoye no longer is
the only Belgian artist known in the queer art scene. Until quite recently a large mural by Antwerp
painter Jan Scheirs could be seen opposite of the building site where the new MAS (Schelde
Museum) arose. Together with photographer Lieve Snellings he was one of the first Belgian artists to
exhibit in Villa Lila.
Laurent Hanquet
Maison Arc en Ciel (rainbowhouse) is the glbt community center of Luik or Liège, as Belgium is
multilingual and very sensitive about it. It regularly houses art shows in its premises. Presently it
shows drawings by Laurent Hanquet. They reflect his melancholy observations of some of the
countries of the former Sovjet Union: mainly the Baltic states. He’s especially interested in what
happens to the Russian communinities who now have overnight lost power and suddenly turned into
a new etnic minority. Till august 20th. More: www.alliage.be.
Queerarts.be
Near the new MAS in a small old borough known as het Eilandje (the litle
island) the new Galerie Verbeeck-van Dijk has opened. Its exhibition
programm is pretty eclectic: figurative and abstract, paintings and
photography. But an exhibition Perverted Realism by Roel Sauvillier and
shows of political art from Cuba and Guatemala show their willingness to
go against the grain. It is Galerie Verbeeck that hosts the opening night of
the Antwerp Queer Arts Festival (August 2nd, 7 pm) at the gallery where
at the same time the exhibition PORT starts. PORT is curated by
Norwegian artist Thomas Grødal and promises to show different perspectives on topics in queer art.
More in the next issue of GLIMP! and meanwhile: www.verbeeckvandyck.be or www.hetrozehuis.be.
Pink.be
And then there is the very interesting internet artgallery Pink.be that bi-annualy mails a newsletter
highlighting its recent acquisitions. It offers drawings, paintings and the occasional sculpture of
mostly unknown “smaller” German and French masters, vintage (e.g. US) photography from the
fifties unward. But most appealing is their keen eye for unknown Belgian artists. Appealing and
unknown to me, that is. Because like their Dutch collegues Belgian gay art historians of the eighties
and nineties have neglected to rewrite mainsteam straight arthistory. Pink Gallery offers the
occasional glimps into what 19th and 20th century Belgian art still has in stall for the inquisitive
queer eye.
Un Corps sans Coeur
A heartless body. Work by young French photographer Liv. Her work is shown as part of the Lesbian
Visibility programm. Up and coming she has been invited to design the cover of the new book by
Anne Blanchey “Une main sur ma nuque” and a new collection of short stories. The artshow is
openend during the Salon du Livre Lesbien in the Paris LGBT center. Part of the activities of the
lesbian group are workshops in the techniques of printmaking by artist Soizick Jaffré. July 5, 2 pm.
Till: august 30. More: www.centrelgbtparis.org.
Fifty Fifty
Kunstbehandlung in München is Germany’s only remaining gay gallery. Whether it has been
converted from Schwule to queer art is still not quite clear. Anyhow it is no longer an exclusively
male venue. One of thei most charming art show are the 30x30 and now 50x50 cm shows. All artists
of the gallery are invited to produce new work in this mandatory size, but the medium is free. It is
also a clever way to test whether new artist fit in with the existing Group. The new Fifty Fifty show
Gruppenausstellung lasts till july 26. And yes the title meanwhile reflects a modern sex-ratio. More –
including an internet gallery: www.kunstbehandlung.de. Hautnah, the yearly exhibition of Robert C.
Rore starts July 31st.
Transformation in the Schwules Museum
That’s Germany’s unique Gay Museum in Berlin. It started as
a museum of the German movement but is gradually
developing into a broader center for research into and
presentation of (the history of) queer culture attemping to
do justice to the glbt alfabet. The exhibition programm
reflects this shift and offers changing exhibtions on themes
from lgbtqi history, art and culture. On show till august 31st
is Transformation an interim presentation of the collection
of the museum (and some loans). It is a chronological show
“centered on the large social theme of gender classification
and the struggles over its transformation since 1800.
Focussing on Germany, the exhibition is an associative
journey through the many transformations through which
LGBTIQ communities
(LesbianGayBisexualTransIntersexQueer) and their
protagonists have passed over the course of their histories: It sketches ways of life and identities
beyond the heteronormative classification of gender, highlighting victories and defeats, the creativity
and determination of those involved, as well as the difficult and sometimes questionable
compromises they made. “ The Schwules Museum changed premisses last year and Transformation
is an interim exhibition until the opening of the new permanent exhibition. On offer are guided tours,
etc. Already quit renowned is The Salon a lecture series realized in collaboration with the LGBTI
section of the Humboldt Universität Berlin (www.lgbti-referat.de).
Nieuwe exposities. Opening july 3. Till august 31. MakeUpStories – Drags, Trans* und Tunten –
Photographs by Ronka Oberhammer (see pic). And on july 10th opening of an expo curated by
Wolfgang Theis about life and work of German queer filmer Lothar Lambert. Naked Shame and
Pretty Disgrace - Lothar Lambert's Underground: Images, Films, Life. Till October 6th. More at:
www.schwulesmuseum.de (in English too).
Body Cults, Körperkulte
German photographer Onno Ludwig is a bit of an oddity in modern photography. He still adheres to
the old ways of analog and pinhole photography. But there is nothing old fashion about his imagery.
Presently he is showing his work together with that of his father: “Father and Son”. And he
participates in Körperkulte, Body Cults in Religio, Westfälisches Museum für Religiöse Kultur, a
museum dedicated to religious culture. Till september 21st. More: www.museum-telgte.de and
www.ono-ludwig.de .
First Love and other stories
New work of the very prolific Russian artist Gennadiy Ivanov wil be shown in the Norwich Stew
Gallery in the UK. He’ll exhibit together with friends Andy Hornett and Andrew Jay. Musician Brian
Korteling will play live at the opening, july 23d (6pm). Till july 27th. More: www.artstudio.org.uk. And
of course: www.gennadiy.co.uk.
Men Y men
In London Joaquin Trujillo and Brian Paumier present two portrait series, ‘Muxes’ and ‘Moros’. Taken
during annual Mexican festivals, these personal projects question masculinity and acceptance within
different societies. Trujillo’s 'Muxes' depicts a community of mixed gender people living in the
indigenous Zapotec culture of Oaxaca. Paumier’s 'Moros' was shot during Morisma, an annual
festival performed only by men to celebrate the Virgin De Guadalupe and give thanks for the year to
come. Till jult 20th. More: http://www.newartprojects.com.
Qrowdfunding
In each issue of GLIMP! I draw attention to a few queer projects that
I think a worth funding. Feel free to disagree and point out projects
that you think should be funded by the glbt or queer community.
Last few issues I reported on Boi, Song of a wanderer. It’s a project
intended to portray lifes of young people living in countries troubled
by political and religious troubles. But it became a highly personal
story of Boi, a lesbian girl becoming a nice gay guy. The story of
Nitzan’s inner voyage to a new body and life, a new understanding of
self. It succeeded in raising $ 5000 through a kickstarter campaing
and is now trying to raise an additional € 5000 through
voordekunst.nl a Dutch crowdfunding site. The project is supported
by Anne Marie Borsboom who produced the fundraiser on
www.songofawanderer.com. The project consists of a photo-exhibit,
an accompanying book. Opening and book launch: july 26th, FOAM, Amsterdam (till august 29). And
the film wille be presented during Transpride, july 27th, in EYE, Amsterdam.
Art in the Woods. A summer arts camp empowering young homeless LBGBTQ to build a community
of artists and together recover from homophobia, misogyny, transphobia and other pleasures of
modern city life. The indiegogo campaign ends july 4 th.
Chris Belloni a young Dutch filmmaker is preparing the finishing touch of a new film. De Beslissing is
written and directed by Wahid Sanouji. The film deals with the realtion between a father and his gay
son in a Marocan family. Chris previously made the film In am gay and muslim, a film that has been
shown all over Europe but also in places like Bogota, Sydney, Mumbai, Yaoundé and of course in the
US: from Boston tot Kansas city. More info on: www.debeslissingdefilm.nl and donations are
welcome at: www.cinecrowd.nl/de-beslissing.
Sweethearts
In the Sweethearts section I notice artshows by or
dedicated to the famous glbt artists of past and
present. Think Andy Warhol. In the New York Queens
Museum: 13 Most Wanted Men: Andy Warhol and
the 1964 World’s Fair. An exhibition about this highly
controversial work, its conception, context and
destruction. Part of the screen used by Warhol to
paint the originals have now for the first time been
used to reproduce parts of the work. With never
before displayed materials from the Pittsburg Andy Warhol Museum the exhibition evokes this weird
incident in US arthistory. Till: september 7th. More: www.queensmuseum.org. Erwin Olaf
participates with a new edition of his Down the Drain party -famous “tableau viavants”- in
Milkshakefestival july 20th: www.milkshakefestival.nl. And he has an artshow in Ankara at
artcentrum CerModern: Chronicle of the untold. Till: july 15th. More: www.cermodern.org.
And there is also good old John Palatinus, the “male physique” photographer,
who suffered his deal of homofobic repression in the form of prosecution for
pornography in the fifties. He continues his triumphant worldtour and is now
being feted in Oslo (Norway) where his photograph are on show till juli 6th.
And then finally back to New York? More: www.john-palatinus.com.
Jasper Johns: Regrets. This exhibition premieres Jasper Johns’s most recent
body of work inspired by a portrait of Lucian Freud from an old catalogue.
Moma New York. Till: september 1. More: www.moma.org.
Queer Lookouts
As former manager and arts coördinator of Villa Lila –Nijmegens glbt community center- I am still
very interested in art activities of other glbt centers and in spaces where queer visibilty is invented.
On the look out for queer spaces, new artists and their work. Bringing together artists and new
spaces where they might present their work. But I am also very keen on discovering new ways in
which the arts can be involved in the tactics and strategies of the glbt movement. Queer visibility and
community arts being the key concepts. And I am always looking for people active in the arts
activities of glbt centers. So I am very pleased to draw your attention to the William Way LGBT
community center of Philadelphia. There Candice Thompson is head of the art gallery commission.
More: www.waygay.org. Tips about glbt and queer art-spaces, projects, (maga)zines, research are
welcome at: info@stichtingquast.nl.
Leslie Lohman
For Dutch readers interested in glbt and or queer art all the news from the Leslie Lohman Museum
in New York is an inspiration. Small announcements in it’s monthly eDigest are often source of
notices in GLIMP! or startingpoint of webwanderings in American gay art history and new discoveries
in queer art. And every month more shows and as many new perspectives. After Our Bodies Meet:
from resistence to potentiality. “Queer feminist artists responses to dominant notions about the
body”. Till: august 3d. Sharp Objects, photographs by Walt Cessna and Natasha Gornik at the Prince
Street project space (July 25-27): “visual
experiments about friendship, sexuality and the
male gaze” –apparantly we get that gaze from a
common background-. Opening july 17th: Robert
Figueroa: Tom, Dick, Harry: The Everyday man
Series.What messages do we give and get when
we make or look at profile pics? Using profile
pics of action figures Figueroa asks us to
examine our feelings of attraction and rejection.
And till july 15, the Wooster St. Window Gallery
shows NEXT Magazine, the 5th annual Pride Photo Contest. The best 10 contributors to the theme
“ordinary gay life”. I beg your pardon? More: www.leslielohman.org.
Queer Arts Festival Vancouver
QAF starts July 23d with an Art Party! promising “amazing artwork and queer conviviality”. This party
is also the opening night of both QAF’s curated exhibition Queering the International and the Pride
in Art Community Show.
Christina Cooke, Butch, 2014
“Queering the International features a lineup of established and emerging artists from around the
globe who are immigrant, indigenous, undocumented, displaced, and creatively working towards
reconciling liberation through ideas of indigeneity, diaspora and disIdentification.
Recent homophobic events in Russia, India, Uganda, and elsewhere have made it timely to highlight
artists who address queer identity on an international scale, and whose work celebrates the complex
human condition we find ourselves in as queers. Queering the International engages themes that are
at once broad and challenging, asking artists What is Queer, What is International, What is your
Diaspora, and What is Identity?
This exhibition features artists from a range of nations (…) covering a breadth of viewpoints and
perspectives from queers near and far. This groundbreaking work is brought together by Laiwan from
Zimbabwe and Anne Riley, who is of Dene/Cree ancestry, considering both national and queer
identities, and questioning what happens when we step out of these predefined borders.“ We are
invited “to Join in queering the diaspora, and queering indigeneity – Queering the International. “
“The Pride in Art Community Show is a Queer Arts Festival tradition. This longstanding event
showcases the talents of emerging and established visual and media artists from within the queer
community: leading, fresh, innovative, political, charged, edgy, sexy, and strong. We invite you to
share your queer perspectives. “ Both shows: july 23d-august 9th. More: www.queerartsfestival.com.
Quistory
I am a true history buff (see also: Darlings). I do research into local glbt
history here in Nijmegen too and give guided tours in the city telling
the hidden history of locations that played a role in the city’s 2000 year
history. But I must admit that I can not top the story of The Mayor of
Folsom Street: the life and times of Daddy Alan Selby, aka Mr. S. An
exhibit in the San Francisco Center for Sex and Culture. Mr. S was more
of Dom from the BDSM acronym but a true character. He came from the UK and became Mayor of
part of the glbt community in SF. The exhibit is a bit of a traditional historical oddity amongst all the
queer activities during the National Queer Arts Festival but a fitting reminder that SM is one of the
colours of the rainbow too. Its openness and directness about sex is refreshing. And besides artifacts
and archival material, art is on show too. Till july 31st in the Center for Sex and Culture. More on
Selby in a Gayhighwayman blog.
The Prince St Project Space of the Leslie Lohman in New York offers a rare glimpse into the pre-Aids
sexual culture. In the weekend of July 11-13 a series of photographs by Frank Mellano is shown. The
Fairoaks Baths: polaroids from a San Francisco bathhouse in 1978. These pictures seem to be
extremely rare and I cannot help but wonder whether comparable pictures of this subculture were
made in the same period in Europe. Wasn’t the gay bath one of the first manifestations of a
globalising of gay subculture? More: www.leslielohman.org.
Larry Clarke
Larry Clark, they thought i were but i aren’t anymore… An New York exhibition with works by Larry
Clark that will span his career from 1961 to the present, starting with his earliest portrait of his friend
Johnny Bridges. Highly controversial Clarke is known primarily for his significant photographic and
filmic works. He has also created collages for many years and has recently expanded his creative
production to the mediums of sculpture and painting. Throughout the varied executions of his work,
the focus has been to describe a character and tell a story (...). His interests is in kids on the brink of
becoming men and women, recording the myriad of beautiful, fucked up, charming, clumsy, dirty
things involved in this transition. The gallery states that his work sheds light on these people and
shows us how beautiful they are. But others see his work at least as very explotative or even as child
pornography. Fact is that some of his work is still banned and cann’t be shown in public. This summer
the FOAM in Amsterdam will exhibit the complete Tulsa and Teenage Lust series from his early yaers.
Also this summer, Clark’s newest feature film The Smell of Us,will be released and the première is set
not in the States but in Paris coming fall. Till: august 1st. More: www.luhringaugustine.com.
F-Quistory
Feminist videos produced by French (miltant) activist collectives in the seventies. Video was an
unknown medium in those days and its artistic and political use still had to be discovered… Till july
13th. More: www.spacestudios.org.uk/ . And The F word project: five feminist fables for the 20th
century. A body of art collected by Maureen Buddock. In the form of a series of comic books –graphic
fables-. Yes, including the stories of F-heroines. Till july 5th in an artist run space in SE London. More:
www.spacestationsixtyfive.com.
Tomboy
Or: the art of Nancy Cato. This exhibition, a solo show for artist
Nancy Cato, speaks to the various judgments about and
misinterpretations of ‘tomboys’. With the use of pen and ink
illustrations, Nancy Cato will unleash a good chunk of her
thoughts of what it meant for her growing up as a Tomboy. The
good, the bad, and the attempt to find self-love in a world full of
dollies, dresses and tea parties. For more information on Nancy Cato and her work, visit her website
at www.catocreations.com. Till september 18th. Sargant Johnson Gallery at the Afriocan Amercian
Art and Culture Center: www.aaacc.org.
Newsticker
SD Holman, artistic director of Vancouvers Queer Arts festival has been
nominated for one of Canada’s most prestigious awards: the YWCA
Woman of Distinction Award. It honours women whose outstanding
achievements contribute to the well being and future of our community.
Last month here new book Butch: not like the other girls was launched.
Order: www.etsy.com.
*My name is blessing-from Zambia with love is a new book by Dutch
photographer Hans Withoos. Portraits of Zambian children, dressed in
clothes designed by a Brazilian fashionist. Many lost their parents to aids,
some are hiv positive themselve. A day of posing in beautiful make up, clothes and in the center of a
fairy tale. I have a weak spot for cross-overs beyond our own glbt front. And for glbt artists that have
committed themselves to less popular causes. A fundraiser for Orangebabies.nl. Perhaps less
popular but urgent nevertheless. When Dutch poz-magazine Hello Gorgeous recently
asked professional models to pose for a feature all (!) refused fo fear of damaging
their image. More: www.hanswithoos.nl. * We Won’t Compete is an exhibition in
Toronto about FAG, the Feminist Art Gallery. An exhibition of documents and artshow
about four years of happenings, performances and social sculptures by this Toronto
based group. Till september 21st. More: www.artgalleryofwindsor.org. * New
Acquisitions in the Provincial Frisian Museum. With work of Villa heritage artists Dolph
Kessler and Albert van Westing. Till august 17. More: www.friesmuseum.nl. * With a
self-portrait (pic) Chadric Devon from Lincoln (NE) has won the amazing $ 300 first
prize of this years edition of the Juried Art Show of the Kinsey Institute. Till july 12th at
the Grunwald Gallery of Art and in a virtual version of the exhibit on The Kinsey
Institute website: www.kinseyinstitute.org.
NEO-GLIMP
In the next issue of GLIMP! Notes on Queer Threads in the Leslie Lohman Museum and Threads in the
Museum of Modern Art Arnhem (Nl). Till august 17th: www.museumarnhem.nl. Art at the
Amsterdam Gay Pride. August 1-3. More: www.amsterdampride.nl. And: Queerussia and
Manifesta10, the new front.
Helm de Laat 2 juli 2014
Post Script
A young American had to be rescued by 22 firefighters after getting trapped inside the Chacán-Pi
sculpture Peruvian artist Fernando de la Jara, outsideTübingen University. Chacan-Pi means making
love and according to De la Jara, the 32-ton sculpture made out of red Veronese marble is meant to
signify "the gateway to the world". More: The Guardian.