40 Planet of the Arts / March 1997 by Robert Hong his year’s queer exhibition in the Concourse Gallery, “The Point is Queer: Is There a Queer Aesthetic?” (November 19 — 28, 1996), prompted a great diversity of reactions in the Emily Carr community. There were insults made towards the exhibition that were muttered or written in the comment book but nothing that could really attack the quality of the work. | have been asked, “Why a queer show? Why separate yourself from the other students?” Some ask “Why label ourselves?”, seeing it as injurious to the queer positive action movements to have a queer exhibition. Others wrote in the comment book “Where is the sex?” or “All you ever think about is sex.” It seems some people misread the question “Is there a queer aesthetic?” as “We are saying there is a queer aesthetic.” Others claimed elitism for us having had the exhibition at.all as if we had been given a special privilege. Those of us who choose to be part of the queer exhibition every year have to tackle these issues and assumptions. There is constant discourse within the queer communities over the nature of queer art, queer culture and queer aesthetics. We struggle with outing ourselves at the Institute. We applied for the exhibition just like every other group — in fact last year’s exhibition took place at the Grunt Gallery because we could- n't apply for the Concourse space in time. The exhibition was organized by queers and funded by participants, the student gay/lesbian fund, and the queer community. Anyone could have been part of the exhibi- tion, as it was about inclu- sion, not exclusion. Some artists joined it as ‘friends or family of queers’ and they were immediately scrutinized by fellow stu- dents, many of who talk about a live and let live philosophy but seldom practice it. Having been deeply involved in organizing the queer exhibitions of the last three years, | have had time to listen to people and come to some conclusions. The main one is that there is a need for more self-representation of the Vancouver queer community in the fine arts. Many people have had little exposure or experience with queer communities other than through stereotypical repre- sentations of queers in the mass media. They have no knowl- edge of queer history and some of them might deny us our right to exist, regarding us as sexual deviants and damned. The word ‘queer’ can be used as a positive description of We need to create self- representations that nurture tolerance. Self-Portrait (1996) Robert Hong this community of people who function in society like every- one else but have different experiences, a specific culture and an entire but understated history. Our community crosses the boundaries of time, geography, religion, culture, and race; we've been a subculture of every society ever known or forgotten. We adapt our- selves to live within these dominant cultures, endur- ing the many attempts to silence us or remove us from history through geno- cide and the destruction of our art, literature, and culture. We have had no choice but to endure and overcome these attempts. We have been poorly or mendaciously portrayed in attempts to silence us or used by the religious zealots to exalt them- selves to a illusionary superior status. Hollywood has portrayed us as alcoholics, suicidal, depressed, and raving, as explained in Lily Tomlin’s documentary “The Celluloid Closet.” These representations of queers have kept us loathing our- selves and have fueled rejection of us by others. It is wrong to allow this dogma of misconceptions and hatred to continue for another generation. We need to create self-repre- sentations that will nurture tolerance and give future generations an accurate account of our existence and a serene place within society for themselves. Self- representation is a key com- ponent to creating a more positive image and greater understanding. However, self represen- tation can be a tricky ques- tion for queer communities. Who are “we”? Does there exist a set of icons, stylistic preferences, ciphers and encodings which is universal for all queers? Queers exist in every country but how we can represent queers hidden within intolerant cul- tures? Also, many do not involve themselves in the subculture established around them out of fear or lack of necessity. This absence doesn’t weaken or deny our subculture but endorses the fact that we are like any other community with its outer fringes. Unfortunately, this does limit representation of these invisible people. Queerness is not about the sex act, it is about love and identity. e are in a time of the rediscovery of our history. VV test fragmented and hidden artifacts, art and documentation we are piecing together a rich queer cultural legacy. What is our queer story? The Vancouver com- munity has its own queer story which is just now being col- lected and organized through writers. How will it compare to the stories of places like Taiwan, England, India, or even Toronto? Queer films, and music with exclusive or alternative queer lyrics, are being produced more and more. Literature is being written informing us about ourselves, entertaining us with identifiable love stories and strengthening us with stories of struggle and endurance. We've established local, national, and international political and recreational organi- zations. Queer history is not known to many because mainstream society wants to sweep our sufferings under the rug with an attitude of “We gave you your rights, so shut up and go back to being invisible,” or “Well, that was then, so get on with it.” This negates the fact that people were tortured and mur- dered for being queer within their society’s past. Well, we protested and fought for our rights and took them back in court. We have always had the rights because we exist. No one gave us the rights — we just stopped people from denying rights to us. Being queer is not a tragedy or a freak of nature. We com- prise supposedly 10% of the population of the world. We function in society like everyone else does and we are entitled to the same respect. The word ‘queer’ is a suitable name for us. Our self-representations can seem unusual, unique and bizarre for the so-called straight majority. But living within a straight community can be unpleasant and foreign for queers. Acknowledging the difference between straights and queers doesn't mean we can’t be a part of each other’s com- munities. Queerness is not about the sex act, it is about love and identity. If a person is wheelchair bound and unable to perform sexually they do not lose their identity as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, or heterosexual or their ability to love someone. Queer art can be about this identity and love or the culture, history and communities which spring from it. Gays/lesbians, being in relationships with same sex part- ners, have different gender issues and concerns. Transgenders must co-exist with female and male genders while in transi- tion and dealing with unforgiving social constructs. Within our queer community we work together and sometimes shun gender stereotypes or cross, blend or dispel these social con-* structs. As suggested by Harry Hay in a series of essays in “The Radical Gay,” we avoid the pitfalls and discourses set up by the binary genders of heterosexuality by creating a third gender. e queer artists are starting to create identifiable Wf art that will become part of our historical legacy. Queer art can be problematic because galleries and vendors are reluctant to display it. The opportunity to create our own platform for our art has been welcomed and well supported by the outlying Vancouver queer communi- ty. The artwork in this year's exhibition spoke of a diversity of cultural experi- ences within our communi- ty but shared a harmony and a voice. We are a blunt group of artists with an innate habit of striving for perfection which stems from our compensating for derogatory and malicious remarks heard since we were children. My own experience of coming out as gay inspired me in creating my installation called “When Trust is Broken,” dealing with my painful experiences of childhood sexual abuse. As a queer artist | have found strength in learning not to care so much about other people’s reactions as about my own. | also learned from the queer communities that we can come together to overcome shame, tragedy, and rejection and to do good work despite it all. The artists’ works varied in degrees from portraying direct- ly gay, lesbian, or transgendered subject matter to dwelling on the fringes of queer culture. Some artists contributed work purely based on their identity being queer, as | did; other work was candid about passions, goals, achievements, and sex and its pleasures and desires. Others chose to communicate their concerns about growing up in heterosexual families with no positive queer role models. Was the aesthetic noticeably queer? Each viewer came to their own conclusion. The queer students of Emily Carr are now realizing there is an annual platform to exhibit queer work on and off campus. Some students are producing art that would never come into being if there was no such platform for it. The viewers seeing queer art grouped together are given an opportunity to compare and deconstruct the works and find a common voice that would be otherwise disregarded..We are now able to look into our culture and history and transform its essence into forms, shapes and ideas. We function in society like everyone else and deserve the same respect — but we do not want to be so assimilated that we give up our own culture. We are for the most part satisfied with how we have adapted and what we have built for ourselves (with room for improvement). ‘ And we are exercising our rights to exhibit some of it. s@s 40 Planet of the Arts / March 1997 (WW Identities by Robert Hong his years queer exhibition in the Concourse ‘Gallery, “The Point is Queer: Is There a Queer ‘Aesthetic” (November 19 28, 1996), prompted '2 great diversity of reactions in the Emily Carr ‘Community. There were insults made towards the exhibition that were muttered or written in the ‘comment book but nothing that could really attack the quality of the work. | have been asked, “Why 2 {queer show? Why separate yourself from the other students?” Some ask "Why label ourselves?”, seeing it as injurious to the ‘queer positive action movements to have a queer exhibition ‘Others wrote in the comment book "Where isthe sex?” or “Al Yyou ever think about is sex." It seems some people misread the ‘Question “I there a queer aesthetic?” as "We are saying there ia queer aesthetic” Others claimed elitism for us having had the exhibition at al asf we had been given a special privilege Those of us who choose to be part of the queer exhibition ‘every year have to tackle these issues and assumptions. There is constant discourse within the queer communities over the nature of queer art, queer culture and queer aesthetics. We Struggle with outing ourselves atthe Institut, We applied for the exhibition just like every other group — in fac last year’ ‘exhibition took place at the Grunt Gallery because we could itt apply forthe Concourse space in time, The exhibition was ‘organized by queers and funded by participants, the student. ‘ayilesbian fund, and the ‘queer community ‘Anyone could. have: been part of the exhibi- tion, as it was about incl son, not exclusion, Some ‘artists joined it as riends fr family of queers’ and they were immediately scrutinized by fellow stu- ents, many of who talk ‘bout 3 live and let live Philosophy but seldom practice it Having been deeply involved in organizing the ‘queer exhibitions of the last three years, | have had time to listen to people and come to some conclusions. The main one is that there is a need for more selfrepresentation of the ‘Vancouver queer community inthe fine ft. ‘Many people have had little exposure oF experience with ‘queer communities other than through stereotypical repre ‘Sentations of queers in the mass media. They have no know edge of queer history and some of them might deny Us our ‘ight to exist, regarding us as sexual deviants and damned. The word ‘queer’ can be used a: @ poitive description of We need to create self- representations that nurture tolerance. Set Porat (1956 Robert Hong this community of people who function in society like every- fone else but have different experiences, a specific culture and an entire but understated history. Our community crosses the boundaries of time, geography, religion, culture, and race; we've been a subcuiture of levery society ever known or forgotten. We adapt. our selves to live within these ominant cultures, endur ing the many attempts to from history through geno- tide and the destruction of four art, literature, and Culture. We have had no thoice but to endure and ‘overcome these. attempts \We have been poorly of mendaciously portrayed in attempts to silence us or used by the religious zealots to exalt them: selves to illusionary superior status. Hollywood has portrayed sas aleoholics, suicidal, depressed, and raving, as explained in Lily Tomlin’s documentary "The Celluloid Closet.” “These representations of queers have kept us loathing our Selves and have fueled rejection of us by others. Its wrong to allow this dogma of misconceptions and hatred to continue for another generation. We reed to create selfrepre entations that will nurture tolerance and give future Generations an accurate Sccount of our existence land a serene place within Society for themselves, Sel fepresentation isa key com: ponent to creating 2 more positive image and greater Understanding. However, self represen: tation can be tricky ques tion for queer communities. Who are "wer? Does there exist a set of icons, stylistic preferences, ciphers and encodings ‘which is universal forall queers? Queers exist in every country ‘but how we can represent queers hidden within intolerant cu tures? Also, many do not involve themselves inthe subculture established around them out of fear oF lack of necessity. Ths absence doesn't weaken or deny our subculture but endorses, the fact that we are like any other community with its outer fringes. Unfortunately, this does limit representation ofthese invisible people. Queerness is not about the sex act, it is about love and identity. 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We area blunt ‘group of artists with an innate habit of striving for perfection which stems from our compensating for erogatory and malicious remarks heard since we were children. ‘My own experience of coming Out as gay inspired me in ‘creating my installation called “When Trusts Broken,” dealing ‘with my painful experiences of childhood sexual abuse. AS 3 ‘queer artist | have found strength in learning not to care so much about other people’ reactions as about my own. I also learned from the queer communities that we can come ‘together to overcome shame, tragedy, and rejection and to do ‘900d work despite it all. “The ats works varied in degrees from portraying direct- ly gay, lesbian, or transgendered subject matter to dwelling on the fringes of queer culture. Some artists contributed work purely based on their identity being queer s | did other work ‘was candid about passions, goals, achievements, and sex and its pleasures and desires. Others chose to communicate thei ‘onceens about growing up in heterosexual families with no osttve queer role models, Was the aesthetic noticeably ‘queer? Each viewer came to theie own conclusion, The queer students of Emily Carr are now realizing there i {an annual platform to exhibit queer work on and off campus. Some students are producing art that would never come into being if there was no such platform for it. The viewers seing queer art_grouped together are given an opportunity to “ompare and deconstruct the works and find a common voice that would be otherwise disregarded. We are now able o look into our culture and history and transform is essence into forms, shapes and ideas. We function in society like everyone clse and deserve the same respect — but we do not want to be $0 assimilated that we give up our own culture. ‘We are for the most part satisfied with how we have adapted and what we have built for ourselves (with room for improvement) ’And we are exercising our rights to exhibit some of ite.