Gay Gotham

On March 8, 2017, I decide to go to the Museum of the City of New York.  On my midterm, I was working on my personality and want to learn more about the LGBT community.  They had exhibitions called the “Gay Gotham” which had me sad but happy that we are making changes.  The exhibition was a part two talking of the LGBT community living around the 1960 to 1995 in New York City.  I think it was a great idea for artist to find way to have a voice for their right.  Everyone needs to be treated equally because it does not matter what sexuality or color of skin we are.  The only thing that matter is the inside of a person rather than the outside.  None of the artist was embarrassed to show their work of the gay lifestyle. Around 1980s, nearly 20,000 people died because of AIDS.  All of the art work caught my attention because it showed me we have hope to live the way we are today.

As I walked in I was amazed with the theme of the exhibition.  The lightening was not as bright as Joshua Rashaad Mcfadden exhibition.  The room was a dark purple color which made me think of the joker out of nowhere.  Joker would always get caught by the police and batman because he was not allowed to be himself.  Others though gays were a crime because it is different lifestyle to choose for others.  I loved how they had an image of certain part of the city to show what was happening about the LGBT community.  All the artist that were in the exhibition were seeking freedom and acceptance.

Robert Mapplethorpe
Studio Portrait (Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane)
1986

One of the photograph that made me feel mixes emotion was from Robert Mapplethorpe.  He took a photograph of a Bill T. Jonas and Arnie Zane, who were a beautiful gay couple in the years of 1900s.  On the side of the photograph it showed they met at State University of New York in Binghamton in 1970s.  I just felt a certain way of happiness on how love can be but sad at the same time.  It made me look back in my high schools days on how disappointed I was back then.  I did not want to talk to no one about being gay because people will treat me different.  I still wish one day I can be happy with someone around my age.  This photograph represent self because it shows a lot of emotion whiling looking at someone.  At this time, the LGBT were not to show their love in public because it was wrong. Jones and Zane did not if they were photograph because they wanted to be happy together dancing.

 When I look at the photo, I see Jones and Zane did not care what others got to say.  I love the pose and them looking into the camera show how confident they are being themselves.  It is beautiful on how they have the same passion for dance which the queer culture were getting notice more around the 1960s.  One day I will have the confidence to be happy to show the world this is who I am like them.  Looking straight to the world without looking hesitant to face the world.

Peter Hujar

David Wojnarowicz With Hand Touching Eye

1981

Another artist that caught my eye was Peter Hujar had a picture that made me think.  One of them was David Wojnarowicz with Hand Touching.  According what was near the painting, “His painting of David Wojnarowicz draws out the sense of intimacy in their romantic and professional relationship”.  I have the image that David is naked because he is shirtless.  Being shirtless with a camera in your face can be embarrassing.  It show courage to be happy on how our body looks like even though we are judged by others.

This picture is showing self by showing it is ok to cry.  Self has to have a meaning that can relate to a person, but everyone else can have a different opinion about it.  Looking at it I feel like David was tired of the world coming to him.  I would felt the same way because I wanted to be free for a really long time.  All we have to do if just cry about it first and fight to show the world we have a right.

  The Artists approach the presentation of self and self-portraiture was had similarities to our project.  The artist and we had a message for others to see.  For example, I wanted everyone to know I was talking about LGBT communities so I put a gay flag to make it easier to know what the purpose was.  We both wanted our viewers to have a certain feeling about what it mean to them.  Some might have a different opinion but it does not matter because it is art.  Art is for the people to expand their imagination.

Selfie that inspired me of the exhibitions