On May 11 and 12
Henry Art Gallery and Tacoma Art Museum
FREE for Students and UW Staff/Faculty | $10 Henry Members | $20 General Audience
The Henry Art Gallery is partnering with the Tacoma Art Museum and the University of Washington to host Queering the Art Museum, a two day symposium addressing roles and perspectives of Queer culture in the museum context though lectures, conversations, tours, and other programs.
Join Jonathan D. Katz, co-curator of Hide and Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture and Art, AIDS, America and Rock Hushka, Director of Curatorial Administration at the Tacoma Art Museum, co-curator of Art, AIDS, America for a conversation that will address their work including Queer perspectives in museum exhibitions and programs.
The symposium will continue with a panel conversation turning the queer gaze of local academics, artists and museum professionals toward the future of queer inclusion and exhibitions in art museums. Following the panel, the Tacoma Art Museum will host guided tours with Jonathan D. Katz and Rock Hushka of the current exhibition of Hide and Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture. The symposium will conclude with a workshop and series of local art activities. For program updates visit henryart.org.
February 21, 2012
Queer in the History Musuem
I've often noticed that museums approach queer culture as parenthetical to the greater historical context. This idea was the at the core of the exhibit Hide and Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture, exposing that queer desire is not tangential to the cannons of American art but a recognizable thread throughout. This idea applies to the influence of queer culture on American history, its not tangential but influential.
Many museum are reexamining how to address queer history as a non tangential element included in the greater story. However, we live in a world caught up with being politically correct. This desire to be "pc" comes from our nation's history which is littered with cultural miscommunications and biases. To avoid repeating the mistakes of previous generations many are left navigating a rugged path to successfully address queer history in a politically correct and socially cogent manner.
Navigating that path can be very difficult but Seattle's Museum of History and Industry took the lead with style. The Museum of History and Industry developed an award wining program called MOHAI Minutes, a program dedicated to creating short videos of two residents stumbling upon different elements of Seattle's diverse past. These videos highlight places, events and themes that built Seattle into what it is today. It's a history adventure that won't make you fall asleep!
Recently MOHAI Minutes sucessfully addressed Seattle's queer past and all the while remaining "pc," proving it can be done! The video discussed Shelly's Leg, a disco bar that had an influential role in Seattle's queer past during the 1970's. The video does an excellent job of illuminating the rise and fall of Shelly's Leg and its impact on Seattle's queer history. Not to give away too many of the interesting factoids, this disco was the first gay - straight alliance in Seattle's queer nightlife. First we danced together, now we can get married together. Watch it, you wont be sorry.
Navigating that path can be very difficult but Seattle's Museum of History and Industry took the lead with style. The Museum of History and Industry developed an award wining program called MOHAI Minutes, a program dedicated to creating short videos of two residents stumbling upon different elements of Seattle's diverse past. These videos highlight places, events and themes that built Seattle into what it is today. It's a history adventure that won't make you fall asleep!
Recently MOHAI Minutes sucessfully addressed Seattle's queer past and all the while remaining "pc," proving it can be done! The video discussed Shelly's Leg, a disco bar that had an influential role in Seattle's queer past during the 1970's. The video does an excellent job of illuminating the rise and fall of Shelly's Leg and its impact on Seattle's queer history. Not to give away too many of the interesting factoids, this disco was the first gay - straight alliance in Seattle's queer nightlife. First we danced together, now we can get married together. Watch it, you wont be sorry.
February 14, 2012
Addressing Queer in Museums - the informal responsibility or acceptance?
If museums have accepted the position of being an informal learning environment, addressing all cultures there is an expectation that museums should also address queer culture. Informal learning environments in museums offer exhibits and programs that expand modern curriculum and address topics not traditionally included. There are many reasons to explain that lack of queer content in modern curriculum. Firstly, queer is a broad topic with several areas of history left unexplored. The biggest challenge to educators and museums alike, is condensing and synthesizing the information available. Secondly, the need to remain politically correct and positively educate students about these topics without inviting push back from differing ideologies creates a equal formidable challenge. These challenges also offer museums an opportunity activate their informal learning environment to fill the gap in modern education.
These issues are not exclusive to curriculum, many people are still unexposed to queer culture. Museums have an opportunity to create an enriching environment where ideas of queer are explored and celebrated.The increase of queer topics in museum exhibits, such as the 2010 National Portrait Gallery’s Hide and Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture and the 2011 Chicago History Museum's exhibit Out in Chicago support the trend to tackle these broad issues of condensing and synthesizing queer history in the multiple disciplines.
Creating museum experiences where the queer community can find their complicated histories is paramount for museums to maintain relevancy to the diverse queer community.This blog operates under the assumption that museums have accepted the responsibility to approach education, programming and exhibit that does not discriminate. The theme of acceptance has been an overarching in queer history being sought firstly by loved ones, followed by acceptance in the work place to general societal acceptance. My observations in museums leads me to believe that museums have moved past the initial acceptance of queer culture and now must face acceptance of a different variety - museums ought to accept their responsibility to informally educate, program and exhibit without discrimination. This blog aims to discuss the intricacies of histories, how museums continue to address queer culture and a review of the growing scholarship surrounding inclusion/queer culture. I hope this will be a learning experience for all. Let's discourse.
These issues are not exclusive to curriculum, many people are still unexposed to queer culture. Museums have an opportunity to create an enriching environment where ideas of queer are explored and celebrated.The increase of queer topics in museum exhibits, such as the 2010 National Portrait Gallery’s Hide and Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture and the 2011 Chicago History Museum's exhibit Out in Chicago support the trend to tackle these broad issues of condensing and synthesizing queer history in the multiple disciplines.
Creating museum experiences where the queer community can find their complicated histories is paramount for museums to maintain relevancy to the diverse queer community.This blog operates under the assumption that museums have accepted the responsibility to approach education, programming and exhibit that does not discriminate. The theme of acceptance has been an overarching in queer history being sought firstly by loved ones, followed by acceptance in the work place to general societal acceptance. My observations in museums leads me to believe that museums have moved past the initial acceptance of queer culture and now must face acceptance of a different variety - museums ought to accept their responsibility to informally educate, program and exhibit without discrimination. This blog aims to discuss the intricacies of histories, how museums continue to address queer culture and a review of the growing scholarship surrounding inclusion/queer culture. I hope this will be a learning experience for all. Let's discourse.
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