The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts [Paperback]

Claude J. Summers (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 26, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1573441910 | ISBN-13: 978-1573441919

The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts is a comprehensive work showcasing the enormous contribution of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer artists to painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and architecture. International in scope, this book from the editors of glbtq.com contains over 200 detailed entries written by some of the most passionate and accomplished scholars in their fields. Included are profiles of significant artists; overviews of artistic movements and eras, such as the Renaissance, Pop Art, and Latin American art; articles discussing the artistic representations of androgyny, lesbian and gay bodies, and many other subjects; and surveys of topics like censorship, pornography, and AIDS activism. It also features a complete bibliography and indexes.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

As stated in the introduction, this encyclopedia "offers a revisionist art history, one that places the achievements of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer artists in historical contexts and that privileges the representation of subjects that have traditionally been censored or marginalized." The first book from the online encyclopedia http://www.glbtq.com attempts to accomplish this through 200 signed entries that are accompanied by bibliographic information and cross-references. Like any well-executed encyclopedia, it provides a sound overview of the topic at hand while encouraging and supporting further exploration.

The introduction further states that "there is real value in seeing queer art in its own terms as an expression of a queer artistic impulse and as a documentation of queer experience." The value to a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender reader seeking context for her or his own sexuality may be profound. Works such as this can be very helpful as sources of reliable information for readers trying to understand the complexities of identity as well as cultural and historical invisibility.

The scope is international, and most entries are several paragraphs in length; many extend over multiple pages. Photographer and jewelry sculptor Laurie Toby Edison, transsexual artist Lili Elbe (formerly Einar Wegener), and architect Philip Johnson are a few examples of artists found in this rich text. Several broad topics are included, among them Erotic and pornographic art: gay male; Erotic and pornographic art: lesbian; Photography: gay male, post-Stonewall; Photography: lesbian, post-Stonewall. Entries concerning images such as the rainbow flag and the covers of pulp paperbacks are a nice addition. However, one curiously omitted image is the labrys, a goddess symbol that has significance for lesbians. There are also geographically tied subjects such as Canadian art, Japanese art, and Native American art. Approximately 80 black-and-white illustrations accompany the text.

The reader can look forward to friendly navigation through the text, facilitated by an index of names, an A-Z list of entries, and a topical index. Recommended for public, high-school, and college libraries. Scottie Wallace
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A thorough history of gay luminaries in [the] visual arts...a treat for casual art fans and hardcore enthusiasts." -- Washington Blade, Oct. 15, 2004

"There's a wealth of information here—it would be easy to spend hours wandering among the entries." -- Books to Watch Out For

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Cleis Press (May 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573441910
• ISBN-13: 978-1573441919
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,003,649 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Browsing, March 29, 2005

By 

Jay Jameson "Jay" (Albuquerque) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts (Paperback)

The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts is a great resource. It is packed with all kinds of information. It is wonderful to browse, and is written to be very accessible to a wide audience, but it is also very solid. The surveys of American and European Art are especially valuable, as is the series of "Subjects of the Visual Art." Equally important are the essays on topics such as censorship and AIDS activism in the arts and biographical entries on glbtq artists, from major figures of the past like Michaelangelo, Leonardo, El Greco, etc. to contemporary artists such as Keith Haring, David Hockney, Janet Cooling, Tee Corinne, and many others. This volume and its companion The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance, and Musical Theater highlight the great contributions glbtq people have made to world culture.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 200 articles on GLBT artists and their art, September 25, 2006

By 

E. B. MULLIGAN "Bronwyn" (Tampa, Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts (Paperback)

Everything you wanted to know about GLBT art and didn't know where to look -

I read this more as a vastly interesting learning guide about people and subjects I knew little about. The internet is super if you know what you are looking for, this book tells you what to look for and why. I read it as a fun history book and am very pleased.

The book would benefit by containing more illustrations of the artist's art, this is compensated by the bibliographies that accompany the artist profile.

From the back of the book - The first comprehensive, authoritative queer guide to the visual arts

Why is St. Sebastian an icon of gay male artists? Is there such a thing as a gay or lesbian sensibility? What's the connection between Buddhist monasteries and Japanese homoerotic imagery? And are all those European bathing scenes as deliciously homoerotic as they seem? The perfect browser's guide to queer art--and the ideal reference work-- The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts answers these questions and more in detailed, readable essays that will keep you turning pages long after you've found the answer you were looking for. An easy-to-use, fascinating, and culturally inclusive volume with in-depth critical analyses of major figures, and bibliographies to guide further study.

A distinctly queer presence permeates the history of the visual arts--from Michelangelo's David and homoerotic images on ancient Greek vases to Frida Kahlo's self-portraits and the photography of Claude Cahun and Robert Mapplethorpe. From the editors of glbtq.com, The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts showcases the enormous contribution of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer artists to painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and architecture.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource for exploring The art world through a Queer Lens, March 16, 2010

By 

Brandon Dean "Book and Music nut" (Montgomery, Alabama United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts (Paperback)

This book is extremely thorough, not only focusing on gay artists, but artists who have some gay connection of any sort. It covers themes in art, particular works, movements, even some patrons, all from the perspective of their connection to queer theory. Excellent resource for any gay artist, or anyone interested in finding a complete gay history of the art world. It reaches well into antiquity up unto contemporary visual art. Definitely work having on a shelf to reference on occasion.