The topic of queerness has been consistently absent from modernist art historiography, which shapes how people view and interpret art today. Modernist art, which emerged during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was characterized by its focus on form and style, often excluding content and meaning. This approach to art left out a significant portion of human experience that is now gaining recognition through the lens of queerness. Queer narratives have the potential to provide unique perspectives and insights into cultural understanding and memory that are lacking in traditional art history.
One example of this is the absence of homoerotic artwork in the modernist canon. Artworks depicting same-sex desire were excluded from museum collections and exhibitions for decades due to censorship laws and societal norms.
Recent scholarship has uncovered many hidden examples of such works that offer new ways of thinking about gender, sexuality, and identity in art.
In 2018, an exhibition titled "Art & Queer Culture" featured more than 300 pieces of art that explored topics like LGBTQ+ rights, HIV/AIDS activism, and transgender representation. The show highlighted the creative work of underrepresented artists who challenged traditional ideas about what it means to be gay or lesbian. It also revealed how these artists used their craft to create alternative visions of the world that expanded beyond binary notions of masculinity and femininity.
Another area where queer narratives are absent from modernist art historiography is in the study of sexually explicit imagery. Scholars have tended to view erotica as separate from high culture, relegating it to the realm of pornography instead of considering its role in shaping broader cultural understandings. This approach ignores the fact that sexual images can convey powerful messages about power dynamics, consent, and social mores. A recent exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) attempted to address this oversight by including works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Tom of Finland that challenge conventional representations of sexual desire. By bringing these works into the mainstream art historical canon, MoMA hopes to encourage a more nuanced understanding of sexuality and pleasure within society at large.
In addition to missing out on queerness-related content, modernist art historiography often fails to recognize the importance of intimacy in artistic expression. Intimate relationships between individuals are central to many works but are frequently overlooked due to their lack of objective value.
Some scholars argue that Vincent Van Gogh's famous painting "The Starry Night" was inspired by his relationship with fellow artist Paul Gauguin.
This reading has been dismissed because it focuses on subjective experience rather than objectivity. Yet without acknowledging the emotional underpinnings of an artist's work, we miss out on important insights into their motivations and intentions.
The absence of queer narratives in modernist art history affects contemporary cultural understanding and memory. It limits our ability to fully appreciate the complexity of human experience and creates a gap in how we view ourselves and others. Only through engaging with queer perspectives can we hope to achieve a truly comprehensive understanding of culture and society. By expanding our understanding of what constitutes high art, we can create a more inclusive and diverse cultural landscape.
How does the absence of queer narratives in modernist art historiography shape contemporary cultural understanding and memory?
The absent representation of queer identities and experiences from Modernist art historiography has contributed to a limited understanding and memory of non-heteronormative cultures in contemporary society. The lack of visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals and their creative output has created a void that is only being filled by recent scholarship, leaving significant gaps in our knowledge of past events and movements.