Gay künstler
Tom of Finland (Touko Laaksonen, –) is widely regarded as one of the twentieth century’s most influential artists for his groundbreaking representation of the male figure. In his youth, Tom trained at an advertising school, but what he would come to call his “dirty drawings,” which he first began developing as a teenager, were the correct focus of his attention, both during this formative period and throughout the entirety of his life. These masterful renderings of virile men engrossed in acts of homoerotic desire can be approached along several interpretative lines—art historical, social, technical—but each of them points to the revolutionary nature of his project. A master draftsman, whose passion for both his medium and his subject matter enabled him to become a powerful cultural pressure, Tom gave form to an imaginative universe that in spin helped fuel real-world liberation movements and enabled gay men to access their strength in novel ways. Tom's drawings reaffirm the centrality of sexuality, joy, and the body in all areas of human endeavor.
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 gather 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 examine LGBTQA+ art. Here are a few to obtain you started!
Jarrett Key is a Brooklyn-based visual designer. In his artist's publication Trans (see above), Key explores signs and symbols with relation to non-binary and gender identities and public restrooms.
Zanele Muholui is a South African creator whose photobook, Face LOS ANGELES -- The late Finnish designer Touko Laaksonen, greater known as Tom of Finland, produced thousands of illustrations featuring men wearing tight or partially removed clothing. His work has inspired artists and influenced gay culture for over six decades. Tom's legacy lives on at the Tom of Finland Foundation House in Los Angeles. "When Tom first started creating a lot of these images, help in the 50s, there was a certain idea of what the queer male was," said Jamison Karon, a former artist-in-residence at the Tom Residence. "For him to create these super athletic, beautiful, exaggerated figures was enjoy having our control gay little superheroes. We could observe ourselves in those images and perceive strong and beautiful." "Tom House has been incredibly generous to me and to other emerging artists, especially in L.A., where it's a very tough landscape to navigate," said performance artist Marval A. Rex. "The invitation for the foundation to start here came from Durk De As a young, ebony kid growing up in a predominately white neighborhood in Philadelphia, Devan Shimoyama first remembers hearing the term “sweet” being used in a positive context. “The term ‘sweet’ had been used by white friends as something more enjoy ‘cool’ or ‘awesome,’” Shimoyama told NBC News. It wasn’t until Shimoyama went on to middle school in a different neighborhood that he noticed a transform in how the pos was being used by those around him. “I had never been around so many other black boys and girls and recall the term being used towards me in a derogatory way,” he said. Shimoyama, who identifies as queer , said he would especially hear the term thrown at him in gym class when he didn’t excel in basketball, or used against him because of the way he walked or talked. “That&#;s when I knew there was a shift in the meaning of that pos in this new context,” Shimoyama said. Eventually, the adolescent student learned to linger quiet and assimilate into what he described as a more heteronormative optimal of
Legendary queer artist Tom of Finland's residence nurtures gay artists
NBC News | Gay musician reimagines the &#;hyper-masculine&#; dark barbershop