Coming Out: Sexuality, Gender and Identity

Fascinating exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery of art works made since the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 which help to tell the recent history of the LGBT+ community.

The show was a bit wordy in places and took great pains to define various terms. I felt the art works, with good commentaries, could have told this story without too many general explanations. At times it didn’t seem to be sure whether it was just trying to inform and tell a story or educate.

There were over 60 works in the show and included some revelations to me and I thought I knew gay/contemporary art quite well! I hadn’t seen paintings by Derek Jarman before and there was a landscape and a work called Morphine, painted over tabloid covers which were outing a young actor. It was a nice touch to hang this by Richard Hamilton’s portrait of Jarman.

I liked Stewart Home’s work superimposing his own figure over those of models and his own mother to create a fluid image. Also Matt Smith’s tribute to the early 20th century artist Simeon Solomon.

My favourite pieces were large photographs by Maud Sulter showing two of the muses as baroque black women. These were beautiful strong images.

Although this show is now closed in Liverpool is has moved to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and is there until 18 April.

Closed on 5 November 2017

 

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