Art

The arts remain one of the freest and most open-ended forms of expression in contemporary society. That’s good news for gay people. Gay art gives all people the chance to express themselves freely.

A visual image or an outrageous dance performance can speak volumes about the gay experience. Gay people have always felt at home in the arts. While gay artists have been considered outside the mainstream in decades past, things are beginning to change. The art world has opened its arms to gay artists. This includes Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Keith Haring back in the 1970s and 80s. Works from artists like these moved mountains and sparked new conversations. Specifically when the gay community was still reeling from the AIDS crisis.

At its core, gay art is all about communication. Would anyone make art if they knew that there was no one left on the planet to see it? Maybe not. But it’s important to remember that art is designed to bring us together. Whether you’re walking into a gallery in SoHo or browsing an artist’s Instagram feed, looking at and responding to visual imagery is about sharing ideas and learning from one another’s experiences. That’s why certain images can be so powerful and, in some cases, they can actually change the way people think about important topics and issues, like equal rights for the LGBTQ community.

If you’re an artist yourself or an admirer of the arts, you’ll find plenty of things to look at right here. We’re tracking some of the biggest gay names in the fine art world. From inventive Instagram posts to public funding for the arts, underground zines with plenty of naked men to exclusive exhibits inside a techno dance club, take a look at what catches our eye.