As I have been deeply invested in exploring the ropes of sexuality, gender and expressions, it has become more than just an academic professional discourse for me. As a writer and a social media activist, it is important that I educate each and every person in the right ways. This doesn't imply that I am fully educated in this area. With every post and every story, I learn something new. I am reading different books and watching documentaries to make sure that I know all the sides to the spectrum.
I opened up this article with a personal note as I feel deeply that I as a writer/blogger must provide explanation for what I am doing and why I am doing it.
As I was scrolling down a few articles, I came across some beautiful authentic queer artists. I searched for all of them through hashtags, articles and other sources. It is a progression if we take a decade or even five years for that matter. Queer artists were nowhere. The works were either censored or critiqued to the most humiliating extent possible. However now, even though we have a long way to go, there is this beautiful intersection between the community, the allies, artists, supporters, writers and what not. We are constantly uplifting each other. This intersection is withheld with the help of social media.
I came across 8 spectacular Queer Artists. Their artwork is strong, vulnerable, in the moment and touching;
1. James Robert Morrison
Morrison's artwork has been featured several times in exhibitions. He works with many types of artwork that is unique to his perspective such as Patterns and paper art. His most distinguished art form is Acrylic paint and embroidery on linen.
2. Elia Tomás
Elia's vision focuses on the human element and uses portraiture as a medium to develop a narrative within the individual. Most of his works are about self-discovery: both in oneself (using mask/makeup and costumes) and others (relationships, separations and memories).
His subjects are raw and unpolished in his work as they go back looking for parts of themselves that have remained incomplete or they live a moment of loneliness with dramatic intensity.
For a long time, his work has questioned masculinity and will continue to do so because he feels that we live in a society that upholds an obsolete concept of masculinity that could be destructive.
3. Adam Baker
Adam is a London based abstract figurative painter working in oil paint to explore Queer themes and tragicomic realities of Human existence. He believes that his work is inherently subversive that exists in striking contrast to the conventional medium and techniques typically associated with oil-paint and is emphasised with his own interest in the LGBTQ community and its relevant issues.
4. Suvajit Mandal
This particular art piece is called "The Brown Gay Boi". Suvajit uses a divine expression through his own reflections turning it into a beautiful Godly sentiment in itself. He tries to communicate the language of love through mythology and his artwork, often combining the two.
5. Biju Belinky
Biju Belinky is a Brazilian Queer Artist. They reaffirm queer art through women in history who have come out as lesbian, queer, non-binary etc. The artist gives more space to sexuality through the real and drawn pictures (like before and after) of the celebrities, models, achievers, friends etc. Biju's area of field is oil painting, sketching, pencil art etc.
6. Jack Reynolds
Jack Reynolds is an artist and a creative director. He is recently published a series of artwork (book) called "Are You Man Enough?" with 40 of his subversive artworks questioning masculinity and other themes of love and lust.
7. Katie Aki
Katie Ali works with different styles to showcase an abstract form of an expression. Most of her artworks are gouache on paper or gouache/mixed media on paper. Her style is very unique and pleasing to the eye. The abstractness is exquisite and the relatability factor is very much enhanced even though there is a hint of culture and elegance.
8. John Criscitello
John Criscitello works with multiple mediums including painting and drawing, printmaking, public art, video and installation. The work explores themes as wide ranging as Queer history, coded homoeroticism in music and art and the rampant gentrification and homogenization of urban life. His work seeks to understand the relationship between queer artists and contemporary American literature.