Art and activism come together in Israel, where Palestinian gays are airing their repression-induced grievances through politically-minded performances.
In an effort to carve out a space for themselves, Palestinian drag queens gather every few months at a club in the heart of Tel Aviv to take part in underground shows. These parties offer a rare forum for them to explore complicated and convoluted ideas about sexuality, politics, nationalism, militancy and religion.They're forging their identities at the center of what some consider an occupying power. The Palestinian nationalists among them recognize the irony in the fact that Israel has become their sanctuary.
Above you see one such performer, a 26-year old who calls himself "The Bride of Palestine," who sings liberation songs while dressed in a bloody wedding dress. How edgy!
Guerrilla graffiti artist Banksy got back to his roots this week. The cultural sensation - whose work often sells for six figures - tagged a London chemist with some kids pledging allegiance to mega-retailer, Tesco. He's obviously an optimist.
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Hot dog! French photo duo Exterface may have topped themselves with their latest visual adventure: "Playgirl." We've included some snaps here. The others probably ain't so not safe for your work…
"Silence = Death". That simple phrase became - and remains - an anthem for AIDS activists. And it wouldn't exist without Avram Finkelstein.
Raised by appropriately Marxist parents here in New York, the natural born activist became involved in the AIDS movement after his boyfriend died of the then-new disease. Mourning the loss of friends and family, Finkelstein and his five friends organized a casual group that would later become Gran Fury, a creative collective responsible for much of ACT-UP's visual campaigns.
Old Belonsky spoke with Finkelstein recently and got an earful on how the public space has evolved, the role of gender in the presidential campaigns and whether a thirteen-year old American Idol fan can be called an "activist". The answer's "yes".
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Why does St. Sebastian remain a gay icon? We're not exactly sure - and neither is Charles Darwent: "Not only was St Sebastian middle-aged and butch, he wasn't killed with arrows. Punctured, yes, but not killed. The perforated martyr was rescued from the stake and nursed back to health by St Irene of Rome – a woman, boys – before unwisely haranguing Diocletian for his paganism as he passed by on a litter. Unmoved by his tenacity, the emperor had Sebastian clubbed to death; his body was then dumped in Rome's sewers. Had history been less kind, he might have ended up as patron saint of poo." [Independent via GNW]
French photographic duo Exterface portray some hot phone sex in their latest visual offering, "Flamingo". We've only included a few images here. The rest are way NSFW - and worth the danger!
Color us crazy, but Barack Obama's campaign hit the creative mark with their recent rally placards. We haven't always been the biggest fan of Obama's campaign tactics - we railed against them after the Donnie McClurkin scandal, which we felt highlighted a glaring flaw in the candidate's ability to fact-check. Obama's recent art direction has won them some points in our book.
Obama's original posters were exclusively blue, obviously a tone associated with the Democratic party. Red, of course, has been seen as the Republican party's primary color. We Americans have become so accustomed to the idea of a red and blue America that many of us are incapable of imagining uniting The States. By incorporating red into his rallies, Obama's offering a subtle aesthetic olive branch - or hoping that Republican voters will be swayed by the familiar pigment.
Illustrator Shepard Fairey's new poster only entrenches the campaign's message: Barack Obama - a man of mixed race - can help mix up the political landscape. He can bring red and blue together to unite America. That's what they want us to think, of course.
We contacted Obama's campaign to find out who spear-headed this integrated placard approach, but no one owned up to it. He or she really should, because this mysterious art director deserves a bonus!
Britain's museums sure are loving the homos. First Emperor Hadrian's getting hung over at the British Museum. Now we hear that the National Portrait gallery purchased four portraits from homo-photog David Gwinnutt:
The portraits of film director John Schlesinger, playwright Neil Bartlett, performance artist and club legend Leigh Bowery and photographer Corinne Day are candid and intimate.Terrence Pepper, curator of photographs at The NPG, said,
"We are delighted to have four more photographs by David Gwinnutt in the Photographs Collection. Atmospheric and evocative, Gwinnutt's high-contrast black and white, strikingly composed photographs evoke very well the era in which they were taken. Anti-glamorous and un-staged, they reveal an intimacy with his sitters, allowing the viewer to feel they are seeing the 'real' person in the picture."
The portraits will be on view starting in February.
Our favorite photographic duo, Exterface, keeps us warm this morning with a new spread, "Two Hearts".
New York-based artist Terence Koh received plenty of complaints after his controversial show, Gone, Yet Still. One irate missive read,
I went onto your website after hearing about your sculpture of Jesus Christ the Holy Son of God and I shouldn’t be surprised from what I saw, pornographic muck, what sort of a mind do you have? This is not art it is filth how do you dare vilify the Holy son of God!
The woman goes on to say she'll pray for Koh's demented soul. While some would react with equal ire, Koh takes the high road, writing,
Thank you so much for praying for me. I deeply appreciate it and need it. I know that I have sinned greatly and myself have prayed in private recently for the forgiveness of what I have done. I only hope the Lord will forgive me as he is full of generosity and spirit.
Fire with fire, baby!
Wow! It's been many months since our last "Totally Kewl," in which our imaginary instant message personalities tell you about very real happenings. So, without further ado…
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Roman Emperor Hadrian gets new life at the British Museum - and so does his homosexuality:
"Hadrian was gay, and we can say it," said Thorsten Opper, a British Museum curator of Greek and Roman sculpture, who is publishing a profile of Hadrian to coincide with the show.Hadrian's lover Antinous, whose death caused the emperor tremendous grief, will feature throughout the exhibition. A head of Antinous, borrowed from Paris's Louvre Museum, will be displayed, as will a bowl from Georgia with his effigy.
Hadrian's perhaps most well known for the eponymous wall he built between England and Scotland. The military-minded man also crushed the Jewish revolt of 132 A.D.
The British Museum called the exhibit a "chance to write new history". What a queer statement.
Equinox Fitness Clubs just unveiled their new ad campaign, including "Figure Drawing".
Michelangelo would be proud, we're sure…
Everyone's a critic! Parents and the pious are incensed over artist Terence Koh's Gone, Yet Still at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead. From UK's Daily Mail:
A gallery has offended the church by exhibiting a statue of Jesus with an erection.
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Gone, Yet Still, features 74 plaster models ranging from Mickey Mouse to ET, with the 1ft high depiction of Christ with an erection a central figure in the artwork.Outraged visitors and church leaders have criticised the artist and Baltic bosses for disrespecting the Christian faith.
Dad-of-two John Monaghan, 33, of Heaton, Newcastle, said: "I feel this sculpture is overstepping the mark with regards to respect."
Doesn't that depend on the size of Jesus' erection?
Attention all art fags! You kids may be interested to hear that Summery Guthery, Lumi Tan and our old friend Nick Weist recently unveiled a new curatorial project, Why + Wherefore.
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