Andy warhol queer art

Queer Art

By idelgado16
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    Queer Modernism

    Queer Modernism began around the late 19th/early 20th century. It ended around 1950. This movement’s artworks emphasized: gender ambiguity, hidden symbolism to represent identity, and abstracted art. Before Queer Modernism, the Victorian and Edwardian eras had strict laws against sexuality and gender expression. After the 20th century, the end of WW1, people sought new ideas to life and queer artists took this time to create their artworks.
  • Duncan Grant, Male Bathers, 1921, oil on canvas, 102 x 127 cm, Charleston Trust Collection, UK

    Duncan Grant, Male Bathers, 1921, oil on canvas, 102 x 127 cm, Charleston Trust Collection, UK

    • Historical context: This artist was a gay man who used the art movement to depict other gay men in art.
  • Romaine Brooks, Self Portrait, 1923, oil on canvas, 46 ¼ x 26 ⅞ in, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

    Romaine Brooks, Self Portrait, 1923, oil on canvas, 46 ¼ x 26 ⅞ in, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

    • Cultural context: This artwork represents women who were masculine presenting lesbians at the time period.
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    Coded Resistance

    After Modernism, the Cold War came and the Lavender Scare ensued, which resulted in the Coded Resistance art movement. Symbolism, abstracted bodies beauty was emphasized. Queerness was told through symbolism and coded. The decline came when queer art began to move away from symbolism and hiding queer undertones.
  • Francis Bacon, Two Figures in The Grass, 1954, oil on canvas, 59 ¾ x 46 in, Cromwell Place, South Kensington, London

    Francis Bacon, Two Figures in The Grass, 1954, oil on canvas, 59 ¾ x 46 in, Cromwell Place, South Kensington, London

    *Historical context: This was created during Coded Resistance, where a lot of art was censored, so the two gay men in this artwork seems more vague at first glance.
  • Jasper Johns, Target with Four Faces. 1955, encaustic on newspaper & cloth over canvas, 66 x 66 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, US

    Jasper Johns, Target with Four Faces. 1955, encaustic on newspaper & cloth over canvas, 66 x 66 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, US

    Historical Context: This represents how LGBT people felt like targets for being difference during the time, this was created by a gay man who felt his identity was targeted.
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    Gay Liberation

    The Stonewall Riots had ensued, and gay liberation movements were rising, no longer was queer art being hidden through symbols. This movement emphasized clear, visible queerness being expressed. It was shown through mediums like photography and paintings.
  • Andy Warhol, Ladies & Gentlemen, 1975, screenprint on canvas, 40 x 40 in, The Tate Modern, London,

    Andy Warhol, Ladies & Gentlemen, 1975, screenprint on canvas, 40 x 40 in, The Tate Modern, London,

    Historical Context: Andy Warhol gave exposure to many transgender and LGBT people, some being muses of his in art and movies. This artwork is a part of a series he did that showed some relevant transgenders such as Marsha P Johnson and reduced stigma for them.
  • Robert Mapplethorpe, Two Men Dancing

    Robert Mapplethorpe, Two Men Dancing

    Cultural Context: Mapplethorpe was a part of the gay scene in New York during the 80s and used black and white photography to create often controversial art.
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    ACT Up

    This movement (Aids Coalition to Unleash Power) used art through graphic design, posters and photography to raise awareness of the AIDs epidemic and reduce stigma towards LGBT.
  • Gran Fury, Kissing Doesn't Kill - Greed and Indifference Do

    Gran Fury, Kissing Doesn't Kill - Greed and Indifference Do

    Historical context: This was put as a sign onto a bus to spread AIDs awareness. This helped destigmatize the disgust by people with sexuality and that AIDs wasn't a "gay only" disease.
  • Keith Haring, 'Fight Aids Act Up'

    Keith Haring, 'Fight Aids Act Up'

    Cultural Context: Keith Haring spread awareness towards AIDs through his art, and he was known for pop art in NYC during the 1980s whilst the AIDs crisis was happening.