One of the last works on view in the winding, labyrinth-like galleries of the Whitney Museum’s long awaited David Wojnarowicz retrospective History Keeps Me Awake At Night features a hand, presumably the artist’s own, holding a tiny, adorable frog. Just one example of Wojnarowicz’s lifelong affinity for creepy-crawly things–bugs, frogs, snakes, etc., this tender and … Continue reading
“I think that so often in society in order to belong we have to shrink parts of ourselves,” says Janet Mock at the conclusion of Blood Orange’s song “Dagenham Dream” off of the new album Negro Swan. The writer and activist’s voice flows through the album, tying its disparate parts together with her thoughts on … Continue reading
In Brown: The Last Discovery of America, Richard Rodriguez articulates the particularities of brownness, partially based on his own queer Chicano identity. “Brown,” he writes, “bleeds through the straight line, unstaunchable–the line separating black from white, for example. Brown confuses. Brown forms at the border of contradiction (the ability of language to express two or … Continue reading
Selfies are usually accompanied by an automatic groan. Dismissed as superficial and vapid, selfie-taking is often seen as too close to Narcissus staring adoringly at his reflection for comfort. However, for marginalized people, selfies can be a way to create visibility where there is none in dominant, mainstream culture. Ryan McGinley’s current show Mirror, Mirror … Continue reading
Can humor be a form of resistance in our increasingly dystopian era? I certainly think so, as I’ve argued on Filthy Dreams previously (and repeatedly). Recently, though, comedy, mainly stand-up, is being reevaluated due to comedian Hannah Gadsby’s highly emotional and now, greatly hyped special Nanette. Continue reading
Alive With Pleasure!, curated by Irena Jurek at Asya Geisberg Gallery, hits like the Chelsea gallery equivalent of a summer rom-com or action flick. It’s highly entertaining, with just the right amount of irreverence, and visually seductive, while seeming to offer little fodder for viewer response beyond platitudes like, “That was cool! I liked it.” … Continue reading
“Whores have the ability to share their most private body parts with total strangers,” begins a list of Forty Reasons Why Whores Are My Heroes made in 1998 by sexologist, artist, activist, performer and sex worker Annie Sprinkle. Continue reading
After laughter comes tears. At least that’s what Wendy Rene sang in 1964 and over fifty years later, those lyrics still ring true in our farcical age. Of course, “After Laughter (Comes Tears)” is just one of many songs that take up crying as its subject, joining others like “The Weeping Song,” “96 Tears” and “Crying,” which was … Continue reading
“It’s about twenty minutes later. I just can’t stand my self-consciousness when talking into this thing,” says David Wojnarowicz, speaking into an audio recorder in November/December 1988. One of his eleven tape journals he made from 1981 to 1989, he later admits on the same tape: “I don’t know. I really can’t get at this … Continue reading
It’s been a long year this week, hasn’t it? Between the Supreme Court upholding the travel ban, Justice Kennedy retiring (fingers crossed for Supreme Court Justice Jeanine Pirro), the shootings at the Capital Gazette and the daily insanity of Trump’s Wrestlemania-esque tweets, I’m tired. And this fatigue doesn’t just come from our national politics. This … Continue reading