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Hi.

My name is Gary Zidek. Welcome to The Arts Section. Tune into the radio program every Sunday morning on WDCB 90.9 & 90.7 FM or listen to it online here. I'll be showcasing a variety of arts & entertainment stories.

New Queer Art Exhibit Challenges Perceptions of Stonewall Uprising

New Queer Art Exhibit Challenges Perceptions of Stonewall Uprising

WDCB’s Gary Zidek sits down with Jonathan David Katz, the curator of the new exhibition, ABOUT FACE: STONEWALL, REVOLT, AND NEW QUEER ART.

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WDCB's Gary Zidek talks to curator Jonathan David Katz about the new exhibit, ABOUT FACE: STONEWALL, REVOLT AND NEW QUEER ART.

“It is the largest queer exhibition ever, anywhere in the world, yeah, with 500 works, it dwarfs others” - Curator Jonathan David Katz taking about the size and scope of ABOUT FACE.

Curator Jonathan David Katz in front of DADDY I WOULD LOVE TO DANCE, Deborah Kass

Curator Jonathan David Katz in front of DADDY I WOULD LOVE TO DANCE, Deborah Kass

This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. The incident, which involved a clash between New York City police and patrons of a gay bar known as the Stonewall Inn, is remembered as an important moment in the struggle for LGBTQ rights.

A new art exhibit is challenging the way some view the incident. ABOUT FACE: STONE WALL, REVOLT AND NEW QUEER ART covers almost 50 years of queer art.

Jonathan David Katz curated ABOUT FACE for Wrightwood 659.  He says the idea behind the exhibit was to challenge the way we understand and value the Stonewall Uprising.

View of Wrightwood 659’s atrium during the opening of ABOUT FACE.

View of Wrightwood 659’s atrium during the opening of ABOUT FACE.

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“In 2019 our museums are still extensions of our gallery world, high value means high visibility. What we’re really missing as a consequence of this is a full picture of international practice, as well, work that defies norms about what gay and lesbian art should look like.”   - Jonathan David Katz talking about his curation decision to include artists that have been excluded from the U.S. art institutions.

Artist Carl Pope with his installation THE BAD AIR SMELLED OF ROSES

Artist Carl Pope with his installation THE BAD AIR SMELLED OF ROSES

Works by artist Zanele Muholi

Works by artist Zanele Muholi

JODIE COMES CLEAN, Martin Wong

JODIE COMES CLEAN, Martin Wong

“We tend to think in oppositions, black-white, male-female, gay-straight, but this show is about utterly evacuating those oppositions and showing that we, at the very same moment, can inhabit multiplicities.” - Jonathan David Katz, curator of ABOUT FACE.

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ABOUT FACE: STONE WALL, REVOLT AND NEW QUEER ART will be on display at Wrightwood 659 through August 10 (recently extended). You can find more information and reserve tickets for the exhibit at https://wrightwood659.org.

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