♀️Feminist Art History Unit 14 – Queer & Trans Views in Feminist Art

Key Concepts & Definitions

• Queer art challenges traditional notions of gender, sexuality, and identity through subversive and non-normative artistic expressions
• Trans art explores and represents the experiences, identities, and perspectives of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals
  • Focuses on themes of gender transition, body dysphoria, and self-determination
• Intersectionality recognizes the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, and how they create overlapping systems of discrimination or disadvantage
• Gender performativity suggests that gender is constructed through repetitive acts and behaviors, rather than being an inherent or natural essence
• Heteronormativity refers to the belief that heterosexuality is the default, preferred, or normal mode of sexual orientation, often leading to the marginalization of queer identities
• Cisheteropatriarchy describes a societal system that privileges and empowers cisgender, heterosexual men while oppressing women, queer individuals, and other marginalized groups
• Queer aesthetics embrace fluidity, ambiguity, and non-conformity in art, often subverting traditional artistic conventions and norms

Historical Context

• The Stonewall Riots of 1969 marked a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, sparking the modern gay liberation movement and paving the way for queer and trans visibility in art
• The AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s had a profound impact on queer art, as artists responded to the devastation of the epidemic and the government's neglect of the LGBTQ+ community
  • Artists like David Wojnarowicz and Keith Haring used their work to raise awareness, express grief, and critique societal injustices
• The rise of feminist art in the 1960s and 1970s laid the groundwork for queer and trans artists to challenge patriarchal and heteronormative structures in the art world
• Postmodernism's rejection of grand narratives and embrace of multiplicity and difference provided a theoretical framework for queer and trans artists to explore identity, desire, and embodiment
• The influence of queer theory, developed in the 1990s by scholars like Judith Butler and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, shaped the way artists approached gender, sexuality, and power in their work
• The Combahee River Collective, a Black feminist lesbian organization, articulated the concept of identity politics and the importance of intersectionality in the 1970s, influencing queer and trans artists of color

Pioneering Queer & Trans Artists

• Claude Cahun, a French surrealist photographer, challenged gender norms in the early 20th century through self-portraits that played with androgyny and gender fluidity
• Greer Lankton, an American artist and trans woman, created intimate and raw sculptures that explored her experiences with gender dysphoria and transition in the 1980s and 1990s
• Vaginal Davis, a Black queer performance artist, subverted notions of race, gender, and sexuality through her punk-inspired, politically charged works in the 1980s and 1990s
• Harmony Hammond, a lesbian feminist artist, incorporated materials like fabric and rope into her abstract paintings and sculptures to evoke the female body and queer desire
• David Wojnarowicz, a gay artist and AIDS activist, created provocative mixed-media works that addressed the marginalization and oppression of queer individuals during the AIDS crisis
  • His piece "Untitled (One Day This Kid...)" is a searing commentary on the challenges faced by queer youth in a homophobic society
• Mickalene Thomas, a contemporary African American artist, celebrates Black queer women in her vibrant, collage-like paintings and installations that challenge Western art historical traditions
• Cassils, a trans and non-binary performance artist, uses their body as a medium to explore the physical and social constructions of gender, often through grueling endurance-based works

Major Themes in Queer & Trans Feminist Art

• Identity exploration and self-representation, as queer and trans artists use their work to assert and celebrate their complex, multifaceted identities in the face of societal marginalization
  • Portraiture and self-portraiture are common mediums for this theme, allowing artists to control and subvert the gaze
• Challenging gender binaries and norms, through works that blur the lines between masculine and feminine, reveal the fluidity and spectrum of gender identities, and reject essentialist notions of gender
• Visibility and activism, as queer and trans artists use their work to increase representation, raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues, and advocate for social and political change
  • The AIDS crisis and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights have been major catalysts for this theme
• Desire and sexuality, as artists explore queer and trans experiences of love, intimacy, and eroticism, often subverting heteronormative and patriarchal notions of desire
• Body politics and embodiment, as artists interrogate the ways in which queer and trans bodies are policed, marginalized, and celebrated, and how they resist and transcend societal norms
• Intersectionality and identity politics, as artists address the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, class, disability, and other marginalized identities, and how they shape queer and trans experiences
• Trauma and resilience, as artists grapple with the individual and collective traumas faced by queer and trans communities, while also celebrating their strength, resistance, and joy in the face of adversity

Artistic Techniques & Mediums

• Performance art and body art are prominent mediums in queer and trans feminist art, allowing artists to use their bodies as sites of resistance, transformation, and expression
  • Examples include Cassils' physically demanding performances and Vaginal Davis' subversive drag shows
• Photography and video are often used to document queer and trans lives, create self-representations, and subvert the male gaze
  • Artists like Catherine Opie and Zanele Muholi use portraiture to celebrate and humanize queer and trans individuals
• Collage and assemblage are techniques that allow artists to create layered, fragmented, and non-linear narratives that reflect the complexity of queer and trans identities
  • Mickalene Thomas' collaged paintings and installations are a prime example
• Textiles and craft-based practices, traditionally associated with women's work and domesticity, are reclaimed by queer and trans artists as tools of subversion and empowerment
  • Harmony Hammond's use of fabric and rope in her abstract works is a notable example
• Digital and new media art, such as video installations, web-based projects, and virtual reality, provide opportunities for queer and trans artists to create immersive, interactive, and accessible works that explore identity and embodiment in new ways
• Collaborative and participatory practices are common in queer and trans feminist art, fostering a sense of community, solidarity, and collective action
  • The art collective Fierce Pussy created public installations and billboards to raise awareness about lesbian visibility and political issues
• Ephemeral and site-specific works, such as performances, interventions, and installations, allow queer and trans artists to engage with public spaces, challenge societal norms, and create temporary autonomous zones for expression and resistance

Influential Exhibitions & Movements

• "Extended Sensibilities: Homosexual Presence in Contemporary Art" (1982) at the New Museum, New York, was one of the first major exhibitions to focus on gay and lesbian artists, paving the way for greater visibility and acceptance
• "Gender: Beyond Memory" (1999) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Japan, showcased the work of queer and trans photographers from around the world, exploring the diversity and fluidity of gender identities
• "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture" (2010) at the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery, Washington D.C., examined the influence of gay and lesbian artists on American art and culture, sparking controversy and censorship debates
• "Trigger: Gender as a Tool and a Weapon" (2017) at the New Museum, New York, investigated gender's place in contemporary art and culture, featuring works by queer, trans, and non-binary artists who challenge binary norms and explore the intersections of gender with race, class, and sexuality
• The "Queermuseu: Cartografias da Diferença na Arte Brasileira" (Queer Museum: Cartographies of Difference in Brazilian Art) (2017) at the Santander Cultural Center, Porto Alegre, Brazil, faced censorship and protests for its inclusion of queer and trans artists, highlighting the ongoing struggles for LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance in the art world
• "Art After Stonewall, 1969-1989" (2019) at the Grey Art Gallery, New York University, and Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, New York, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, showcasing the impact of the LGBTQ+ liberation movement on the art world
• The "New Queer Photography" movement, which emerged in the 2000s, includes artists like Zanele Muholi, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Catherine Opie, who use photography to challenge heteronormative representations and create new visions of queer and trans lives

Critical Reception & Debates

• Censorship and public funding controversies have often surrounded queer and trans feminist art, as conservative politicians and groups seek to suppress works that challenge heteronormative values and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights
  • The "NEA Four" case in the 1990s, involving performance artists Karen Finley, Tim Miller, John Fleck, and Holly Hughes, sparked a national debate about public funding for controversial art
• Debates around identity politics and representation have been central to queer and trans feminist art, as artists and critics grapple with questions of authenticity, essentialism, and the politics of visibility
  • Some argue that identity-based art can be limiting or reductive, while others see it as a necessary tool for empowerment and social change
• The role of the art market and institutions in the mainstreaming and commodification of queer and trans art has been a point of contention, with some artists and activists resisting assimilation and co-optation by the dominant culture
• Intersectional critiques have challenged the exclusion and marginalization of queer and trans artists of color, working-class artists, and artists with disabilities within the broader LGBTQ+ art movement
  • Scholars like José Esteban Muñoz have argued for a "disidentification" with mainstream gay and lesbian culture, in favor of a more radical, intersectional queer politics
• The relationship between queer and trans art and activism has been a subject of debate, with some artists embracing an explicitly political role, while others prioritize aesthetic experimentation and personal expression
• Discussions around the ethics and politics of representation have been prominent in queer and trans feminist art, particularly in relation to issues of appropriation, exploitation, and the "othering" gaze
  • Artists and critics have grappled with questions of who has the right to represent queer and trans experiences, and how to do so in a way that is respectful, empowering, and transformative

Contemporary Perspectives & Future Directions

• The increasing visibility and acceptance of non-binary and gender non-conforming identities in popular culture and society is shaping new directions in queer and trans feminist art
  • Artists like Alok Vaid-Menon and Chella Man are challenging binary notions of gender through their multidisciplinary practices
• The impact of social media and digital technologies on queer and trans art and activism is a growing area of interest, as artists use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to create and share their work, build communities, and mobilize for change
• The intersection of queer and trans identities with disability justice and neurodiversity is gaining more attention in contemporary art, as artists explore the unique challenges and perspectives of being LGBTQ+ and disabled or neurodivergent
• Climate change and environmental justice are emerging as key concerns for queer and trans artists, who are grappling with the disproportionate impact of ecological crises on marginalized communities and imagining new forms of resistance and resilience
• The global scope and diversity of queer and trans feminist art is expanding, as artists from the Global South, indigenous communities, and other underrepresented regions gain more visibility and recognition in the international art world
  • Exhibitions like "Queer Tropics" (2017) at the Pelican Bomb Gallery X in New Orleans have showcased the work of queer and trans artists from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific
• The role of queer and trans art in shaping public space, architecture, and urban planning is an area of growing interest, as artists and activists seek to create more inclusive, accessible, and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ communities
• The future of queer and trans feminist art will likely continue to be shaped by ongoing struggles for social justice, political liberation, and cultural transformation, as artists push boundaries, challenge norms, and imagine new possibilities for identity, desire, and community in a rapidly changing world