The AAM is celebrating Pride Month by highlighting works created by LGBTQ+ artists. The creative practices of queer artists reflect personal struggles while representing new perspectives and inclusivity. To celebrate Pride this June, check out the following artworks during your next trip to the AAM!
TREXLER GALLERY
Keith Haring, (American, 1958-1990), Andy Mouse, 8/111985, acrylic on canvas. Private Collection.
Keith Haring was an openly gay artist active in New York City during the 1980s. He advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and AIDS awareness through his artwork and designed the poster for the first National Coming Out Day, on October 11, 1988. In his painting Andy Mouse, Haring depicts his close friend and fellow artist Andy Warhol combined with Mickey Mouse. Haring and Warhol both openly identified as queer, and Warhol often depicted himself in drag in his self-portraits.
BUTZ GALLERY
vanessa german, (American, b. 1976), 2 ships passing in the night, or i take my soul with me everywhere i go, thank you, 2014, mixed media assemblage. The Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art
Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, vanessa german is a sculptor and performance artist who uses her artworks as vehicles for healing and storytelling. The work at right is an example of her power figures—ritualistic sculptures made of wood, beads, and other found objects. Her sculptures are largely inspired by Nkisi Nkondi power figures of the Kongo peoples in Africa. These divine objects are used for protective and spiritual purposes. German’s artworks are both a response to and a resistance against the systemic oppression of African Americans. As a queer Black artist, German uses her practice as a form of healing and a way of reclaiming power.
SCHELLER GALLERY
Angel Suarez-Rosado, (American, b. Puerto Rico 1957), Saint Sebastian, 1990s, oil, varnish, paper, fabric, and pressed tin on wood. Purchase: The Ardath Art Acquisition Fund, 2021. (2021.6)
This depiction of Saint Sebastian is from a series of religious works by Angel Suarez-Rosado. The artist depicts Saint Sebastian shot by arrows while tied to a tree. Saint Sebastian is regarded as an important figure in queer art. According to tradition, he survived his trial by arrows only to be martyred later in a similarly gruesome method. His story resonates with many in the LGBTQ+ community, who face societal rejection and isolation. Saint Sebastian was historically a symbol of protection from the plague and later a symbol of hope for queer communities, especially during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s.