MUST-SEE EXHIBITIONS BY QUEER ARTISTS
CELEBRATING PRIDE MONTH:
Contributors:
- IMAGERY: COURTESY OF GUTS GALLERY, STEPHEN FRIEDMAN GALLERY, QUEERCIRCLE AND GAZELLI ART HOUSE
Unapologetic joy. Unfiltered self-expression. Art that answers to no one. From explorations of Queer Hedonism in the North of England and untold histories of Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex individuals to dream-drenched depictions of unconventional bodies and an investigation into Queer technological futures, this is a new generation of visionary Queer artists who are completely changing the game. For Pride Month and beyond, these are the must-see exhibitions by Queer artists.
DATA • GLITCH • UTOPIA
At Gazelli Art House, Jake Elwes has launched their first solo exhibition, Data • Glitch • Utopia. A limitless exhibition which transcends boundaries as we know them, the exhibition explores AI through a Queer perspective. Based on their research into AI and Machine Learning, Elwes exhibition explores AI, drag performance and Queer technological futures, encouraging playful, thoughtful questions about technology and the self.
Gazelli Art House 2nd June – 8th July
DIY STRENGTH & QUEER HEDONISM
This month Gut Level, a Queer-Led DIY rave space based in Sheffield has taken over the Barbican’s iconic Curve Gallery. Part of RESOLVE Collective’s Them’s The Breaks series, the exhibition celebrates Queer hedonism in the north. The exhibition features images from venues and collectives across the North of England, including Mondo Radio, Wharf Chambers and QUARRY. Vivid, dynamic and chaotic; think messy parties, sweaty bodies and dirty, unadulterated joy.
The Barbican, Curve Gallery 1st June – 30th June
(UN)DEFINING QUEER
Co-led by an intersectional group of LGBTQIA+ artists and individuals, (Un)Defining Queer delves into the Whitworth’s collection to examine the meaning of Queer, through a Queer lens. Featuring art works by David Hockney, Sarah-Joy Ford, Jez Dolan and more, this exhibition seeks to redefine and address identity in the modern age. In addition to the artworks, a series of events will run alongside the exhibition, from a Queer Theory Reading Group to a Pride Poetry performance and more.
The Whitworth, 27th January – 3rd December
SAINTS AND SINNERS
Staged at Guts Gallery in Hackney, Saints and Sinners is a disruptive group show by LGBTQIA+ artists that explores what it means to be Queer in the modern age. Featuring stunning photography of the ballroom scene by Ivie Bartlett, subversive paintings by Juan Arango Palacios and images of the 1970s Gay Liberation movement by Peter Hujar, it charts the societal injustices faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals and the relentless hope, unity and spirit within the community.
Guts Gallery, 9th June – 7th July
HARDCORE
Curated by Sadie Coles and John O’Doherty, Hardcore is a new exhibition featuring the work of 18 artists that explores sex, intimacy and desire. Nuanced and complex, this exhibition is a loud and unapologetic exploration of sex in the modern world. Urgent, vulnerable and exhilarating, Hardcore is an essential curation that encourages viewers to question sex, the body and the mind.
Sadie Coles HQ, 25th May – 5th August
DESIRE, LOVE, AND IDENTITY
Dedicated to exploring LGBTQIA+ histories, The British Museum has launched a new tour around their gallery, through a series of 15 incredible artworks. Exploring Queer love, desire and gender diversity, these artworks are taken from different periods in history, from Ancient Egypt to Ancient Greece, and illustrate the worlds Queer history. Discover online or visit at the museum.
British Museum, Ongoing
THE FLESH DISAPPEARS BUT CONTINUES TO ACHE
Sasha Gordon’s dreram-drenched exhibition The Flesh Disappears But Continues To Ache is a surreal exploration of bodies and humanity. Her works feature doppelgängers which repeat the self, over and over to examine her identity as a young, Queer, Asian-American woman. Her art is unusual and erotic and delves into the world of unconventional bodies.
Stephen Friedman Gallery, June 1st – July 22nd
BLOOM
Beauty, resilience and diversity, Emma Hayden’s exhibition, Bloom, has launched in celebration of Pride 2023 and is housed at 99 Bishopsgate in London. Hayden’s work explores themes of body positivity and Queer visibility, and her artistic vision is dedication to honouring identity, love and sexuality.
99 Bishops Gate, May 8th - June 30th
MANY MIKL MEK AH MUKL
Loosely translated to ‘Every little bit counts, persevere and eventually we will get where we want’, ‘Many Milkl Mek Ah Mukl’ is the first London show by British artist Zinzi Minott. The exhibition is an audio and visual experience, which will feature Zinott’s breathtaking filmography and large scale sculptural and aural installations. Zinott’s work explores Blackness and diaspora collectives and delves into the experiences of the Windrush generation.
Queercircle, June 22nd – August 28th
A truly one-of-a-kind space, the Museum of Transology is a remarkable collection of objects that explores the lives of trans, non-binary and intersex people. The museum is dedicated to re-writing history, ensuring that the lives, stories and truths of trans, non-binary and intersex people are told, honoured and represented. This year alone, the museum has started the Trans Pride UK Collective, a new group dedicated to honouring the lives of the Trans community. The museum’s collection is currently housed at the Bishopsgate Institutes Special Collections and Archives, and you can also explore their digital archive online. Get ready to discover an untold history.
Permanent Space, Bishopsgate Institutes Special Collections and Archies
LGBTQ+ AUDIO TRAIL
The Museum of Liverpool has teamed up with Matthew Riley and Brendan Geoghegan of the Bottoming Podcast to curate a special LGBTQ+ audio to listen to as you explore the museum. It encourages visitors to examine objects through a Queer lens and delves into the LGBTQ+ past and present of the city through the museum’s collection, which features numerous artworks, including outfits worn by Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve, portraits by legendary photographer Tim Walker and more.
The Museum Of Liverpool, Ongoing
BUFFALO: FUTURE GENERATION
Opening later this month, Buffalo: Future Generation by Jamie Morgan is a photography project that explores the radical Buffalo style movement that was born in Ladbroke Grove in the ‘80s. Buffalo style charted the explosion of multiculturalism in the UK; it explored clashes between gender, age and cultural stereotypes. Today, the movement is known for its reflection of the diversity and lived experiences of young British people. Morgan is known for his rejection of gender binaries over his life-long photography career and has photographed everyone from Boy George to Kate Moss. His iconic images feature a relentless celebration of gender fluidity. This exhibition chronicles life in contemporary Britain and is an all-out celebration of youth, diversity and identity.
Ladbroke Hall, 29th June – Saturday 15th July