Gay classical paintings
Ten Pioneering Works of Queer Art That Changed History
Art & PhotographyAnOther List
As Tate's history-making exhibition opens tomorrow, we preview ten of the groundbreaking pieces that feature in the show
TextAndy Stewart MacKay
Tate Britain’s groundbreaking exhibition Queer British Art – unimaginable not so very long ago – focusses on art produced in a hundred-year period from the repeal of the old ‘Buggery Act’ in to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in This unique and timely exhibition explores how covert love and desire were expressed in a dangerously repressive culture where being ‘queer’ could lead to imprisonment and death. Inspired by the meaning of liberation designer Derek Jarman experienced in reclaiming a frightening and insulting word, ‘queer’ is now – as curator Clare Barlow points out – an inclusive critical frame of reference for ‘fluid identities and experiences’ that fall outside mainstream traditions of gender and sexuality and one that should be celebrated.
For audiences, queer or otherwise, art is about recognition. Consciously or n
Vaishnavi Srivastava
Happy Pride! As Self-acceptance Month kicks off we at Abir Pothi compiled a list of paintings in art history that are, well, just a little bit fruity. So next time a boomer hits you with a “I come from a generation where a couple means a man and a woman” you contain 11 instances to reveal how wrong they really are. Or you could just enjoy the beauty and affection in these artworks which they are meant to represent at their very core. Either way, following are 11 famous instances of lgbtq+ love being depicted in art history:
1. Bhupen Khakhar, “Yayati”.
Bhupen Khakhar is one such legend in the discourse of Indian gender non-conforming art history. The openly gay artist has a number of infamous paintings, that display bold physical intimacy between two men. Khakhar’s works go in length to display themes of religious conflict and personal sexuality.
2. Michelangelo, “Victory”
The very openly erotic sculpture by Michaelangelo depicts the Renaissance-era-sculptor between the legs of his lover Cavalieri. This magnificently carved homo-erotic sculpture goes down in history as
Some LGBTQA+ artists have achieved world-renowned fame: Tom of Finland, David Hockney, Claude Cahun, and Glück, to name a few. However, there are many others whose work is less well-known but who provide important glimpses into the lives and struggles of their community. These artists showcase the sexual, secretive, radical/political, and heart wrenching-moments that many, if not all, members in the community have experienced. Moreover, there is still a stigma that clouds over both LGBTQA+ artists and the art itself. Fortunately, here at Thomas J. Watson Library, we collect an encyclopedic and comprehensive collection of materials on the history of art in the world. Our online catalogue provides a great starting place to find an ample amount of materials to scout LGBTQA+ art. Here are a few to get you started!
Jarrett Key is a Brooklyn-based visual artist. In his artist's guide Trans (see above), Key explores signs and symbols with relation to transgender and gender identities and public restrooms.
Zanele Muholui is a South African artist whose photobook, Face Ganymede was 'the fairest of mortal men; wherefore the gods caught him up on high to be cupbearer to Zeus by reason of his beauty, that he might dwell with the immortals.' So says Homer in the Iliad. Throughout antiquity, there was a fascination with the tale of how Zeus, king of the gods, fell in love with a human boy. The scene of Zeus swooping down from Olympus to steal away Ganymede, established as 'The Rape of Ganymede', appeared on pottery, frescoes, statues and mosaics. Zeus and Ganymede c– BC, Attic red-figured kylix, attributed to the Penthesilea Painter. Ferrara Archaeological Museum While many ancient depictions from Greece show two humans in the tale of Ganymede, the Romans favoured a version more in keeping with Zeus' fondness for wooing mortals in zoological form. According to the Roman poet Ovid: 'The king of the gods was once fired with devotion for Phrygian Ganymede, and when that happened Jupiter found another shape preferable to his own. Wishing to turn himself into a bird, he nonetheless scorned to change into any save that which can carry hi