Gay Art :The influential years 1960-1979 ( The American years)
Author: Gay Art had been around for along time and its uses of colour had been pressent but underlying. From 1900 to 2012 there have been great examples of "homo art" but if every there were two particular decades of change that lead the way for freedom of "homo culture" and expressionism the 1960-1970s where the golden age of change. Like all the years before hand and there after art was there to document the process of social dysfunction and participation in all its forms . Why are the 60's and 70's so memorable...apart from the main stream political upheaval such as the University shootings of the 60's (1)(University of Texas 1966) the Vietnam war and of course Watergate . In the 40's and 50's "Homo art" was somewhat muted,with styles that where less about subject matter ,colour and more about style contextualising. However people had more to say in the 60's and 70's with every changing social culture such as the "Hippie "movement which aloud allot of gay people to lead free life's under that movement which was more accepted then any gay movement of the time or at lest in the years of 1960 to 1966. The Hippie movement giving freedom of expression with out accountability or justification . It is also very important to note that at this time the gay activist Harvey Milk was making strong political statements. Harvey did not have a direct relation to art as such, but in field of photographic documentation his contributions are priceless . And his political struggles gave a mood that artists worked to. Glamor and youthful change had arrived in the world. Art was no indifferent. And what better way to show this change, then art on wheels !
(2) The VW type 2 T1. The flag ship for the Hippie Movement !
Psychedelic Art
The VW type 2 1967
(2) "Only a true artist would know the importance of art and how it can be a great form of self-expression. In all forms of art, one has witnessed the changing trends since the ancient days. These trends all are unique in their own way. While some are on the subtle side, others tend to be bit rebellious. The 1960s was one such period that witnessed many trends from the hippy culture to people who would love to rebel and be seen and heard. In art, psychedelic art was one such trend that raised quite a few eyebrows!The distinctive characteristic of psychedelic art is the beautiful, colourful images that have a surreal feel to it. As a direct influnce of drugs."
(2 “The influence of psychedelic drug experience upon various aspects of the creative process has been studied by very few researchers over the years. Although no conclusive statements can be made, it appears possible that these substances may be associated with original ideation and imagery, especially in the case of professional artists. There is no evidence that LSD-type drugs can evoke creativity on the part of individuals who are not known to be talented before drug ingestion. Creativity involves transforming fantasy into reality; the study of psychedelic experience, hypnotic experience, and other alterations in consciousness may help science to understand this process."
Author:The reason for such a strong connection between the Hippie movement and the "Homo culture" is because at grass roots level they were very similar. Gay people where looking for a voice . To be able to express themselves with out fair of jail or death . It was quite natural for many gay people to place themselves under the hippie umbrella...what with the drug use in both community's , free thinking and questioning attitudes it was a relative transaction. To outsiders they where one and the same .One key factor that attracted the gay community to the Hippie life style was the ability of free expression at a time when the gay community was craving just that .The art of the time and colours used was an extension of what the community sort in a social level. I consider this the most important link between "Homo Art" and our attraction of colour as people. It is not simple an attraction to colour but freedom . It gave a reason for underling feelings people where feeling . Colours equals freedom on every level and by the same toucan art equals freedom.
(3)
(3) Andy Warhol
An iconic American pop artist, filmmaker, and graphic designer, Andy Warhol blurred the boundaries between art and advertising. Unapologetic about his homosexuality, Warhol often produced erotic photography and male nudes, and his work was heavily influenced by gay underground culture. Warhol’s images, from his Campbell’s soup cans to prints of celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and Elizabeth Taylor, are an astute comment on the materialism and glamor of the 60s and 70s.
Author: Andy Warhol was a gay artist ....he however did not focus on strictly gay art . However his style of "Pop Art" and "Reappropriation"of work and colour had a strong effect on gay culture and gay art .In particularly gay symbolism of the 1970's. This era in art was the era of colour. Never before had colour been used in such a way, with strong political and historical backgrounds with avantgarde undertones.
Author: By the end of the 60's things had started to change again . LGBT culture no longer where happy hiding under the "Hippie" banner . They wanted there own identity and style. With more stylistic art from artists such as Peter Max and Warhol where color was still strong but where the tone of work was forming towards subject matter , the overly all gay community started finding a defined style of their own.However there roots would always be one that large came about from the Hippie movement.
(5) The reworked Flag of 1999. (The current version of the Rainbow flag)
Pride Flags
(5)The rainbow flag has changed dramatically since its first hand-dyed creation by Gilbert Baker and his boyfriend Jomar Teng. The original version of the flag had eight colors, each of which stood for concepts including healing, sunlight, nature, and spirit. Since then, the now-common six color flag is only one of many variations, all of which symbolize the diversity and inclusiveness of the LGBT movement. Gilbert Baker himself encourages the LGBT community to continue to remake the flag for ourselves. In an UK Gay News op-ed piece, Baker wrote: “In my view the rainbow flag is unfinished, as the movement it represents, an arc that begins well before me, its breadth far broader than all of our experiences put together, reaching the farthest corners of the world with a message of solidarity and a beacon of hope for those who follow in our footsteps.”
(5) A very bad reworking of flag for the Studio 360 competition.
(5) Another entry to the 2009 Studio 360 competition .
(1)Lavergne .M.G,1997,Sniper in the Tower,Texas.University of North Texas Press.
(2) Copping R,2011,VW Camper and Microbus,London,Shire Liberty.
(2) Nair.T,2011Psychedelic Art Movement [Online]: Available at:http://www.buzzle.com/articles/psychedelic-art-movement.html
(2) Copping R,2011,VW Camper and Microbus,London,Shire Liberty.
(2) Nair.T,2011Psychedelic Art Movement [Online]: Available at:http://www.buzzle.com/articles/psychedelic-art-movement.html
(2)Krippiwr.S,1977,International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, San Fmncisco ,Humanistic Psychology Institute
(3)Revel & Riot,2011.Abrief History of Gay Art and Symbolisam.[Online] Avaliable at.http//www.http://revelandriot.com/lgbtq-art
(3)Revel & Riot,2011.Abrief History of Gay Art and Symbolisam.[Online] Avaliable at.http//www.http://revelandriot.com/lgbtq-art
(4)Peter Mac,2012,Peter Max Bio.[Online]Avaliable at:http://www.petermax.com/
(5)FOTW Flags Of The World,2009,Gay Pride/Rainbow Flag.[online] Avaliable:http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/qq-rb.html
(5)FOTW Flags Of The World,2009,Gay Pride/Rainbow Flag.[online] Avaliable:http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/qq-rb.html
(5)Revel & Riot,2011.Abrief History of Gay Art and Symbolisam.[Online] Avaliable at.http//www.http://revelandriot.com/lgbtq-art
(5)Heinz B, Gu L, Inuzuka A. and Zender R,2002,Bowling Green, Human Sciences Press .
(5)Public Radio International,2012,Studio 360 Redesign:Gay Flag.[Online] Avaliable at:http://www.studio360.org/2011/jun/24/studio-360-redesign-gay-flag/
(5)Worldstudio,2009,Rainbow for PRI's Studio.[Online] Avaliable at:http://blog.worldstudioinc.com/?s=Gay+flag
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