Latest news with #artExhibit
CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
"The First Homosexuals" art exhibit at Wrightwood 659 in Lincoln Park explores early modern LGBTQ+ identity
Today, it's known as the LGBTQ community, but years ago, members were just called "homosexuals". Even though the term might seem outdated, the creation of the word was a major shift in the way people thought about sexuality. A new art exhibit in Lincoln Park called "The First Homosexuals" explores LGBTQ history. "This is that pivotal turning point, where the terms homosexual and heterosexual are first coined," Johnny Wilson, assistant curator of "The First Homosexuals," said. The first time the words "homosexual" and "heterosexual" were used in print, they appeared in a letter written by a European activist in the 1860s. The words established sexuality as an identity, not just an action. The collection of art shows people in the gay, lesbian, and trans community in the years following the creation of the term. "It's about how art captures that transition," Wilson said. And the meaning of that art was often coded. For example, there is a sculpture from French actress and artist Sarah Bernhardt. "She's depicting herself as a chimera. She has the wings of a bat," Wilson said. "For her, a bat was a symbol of her lesbian dissonance. The exhibit features hundreds of pieces from collections worldwide. It took staffers like Wilson years to put it together. He says it's much more than just an exhibit. "I feel like this is my version of protest," He said. "In this political moment, at a time when queer and trans are facing attacks, it's simply surreal and invaluable to share this history. Wilson says he's tried to get other museums in the U.S. to show the exhibit as well. But so far, there have been no takers. "Museums are afraid of doing exhibits like this, this is the uncensored history of queerness," He said. "This is an exhibit that at times challenges you, but that's what art is all about." The exhibit runs through July 26 at the gallery Wrightwood 659. A book on the exhibit will come out next month.
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Van Gogh Exhibit At NYBG Transports Visitors To The South Of France
Visitors interacting with "Pyramid Sunflower" at Van Gogh Flowers Exhibit at NYBG The new Van Gogh exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) will immerse visitors in the golden ambiance of southern France. This not-to-be-missed show, Van Gogh's Flowers, runs from Saturday, May 24, through Sunday, October 26, 2025, brings some of the enigmatic artist's most iconic paintings to life through colorful botanical displays, sculptures, and large-scale installations. Approaching the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, visitors will be drawn to the massive field of oversized yellow sunflower sculptures on the lawn, a nod to Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers series. Between 1888 and 1889, van Gogh painted sunflowers in vases on large canvases to welcome his friend Paul Gauguin to the 'Yellow House' in Arles, where he hoped to establish an artist's colony. 'Pyramid Sunflower,' the installation at the NYBG by Lyon-based, international visual artist Cyril Lancelin, welcomes visitors to the Conservatory lawn, enticing them to take a detour and walk through the maze of photogenic sculptures ranging from 4 to 12 feet in height. The path leading to the sculptures also showcases 32 varieties of living sunflowers that move with the sun, much like their kinetic sculptural representations. Lancelin has created many other experiential geometric works in major cities around the world (including Paris, Philadelphia, Beijing, and Milan) that test the boundaries between reality and perception. "Irises on Yellow Columns" by Graphic Rewilding at the New York Botanical Garden. On this self-guided, self-paced exploration at the New York Botanical Garden, visitors are welcomed inside the Conservatory by Irises On Yellow Columns, a striking display by Lee Baker and Catherine Borowski. This display reinterprets van Gogh's famous 'Irises,' painted during his 1889 stay in an asylum at Saint-Remy-de-Provence in southern France. These two contemporary artists joined forces to create Graphic Rewilding, designed to promote positivity to urban environments through public art. "Roses: Van Gogh Eren" by Amie Jacobsen Further inside, three-dimensional painted metal sculptures by Independence, Missouri-based artist and sculptor Amie J. Jacobsen were inspired by other spectacular van Gogh florals. Jacobsen has designed numerous pieces for public spaces and private collectors, often inspired by natural landscapes. Her sculptures at the exhibition are beautifully posed in front of frames and living walls. Van Gogh's hospital garden in Arles at the NYBG Cheerful live flowers, boxwoods, a fountain and other architectural elements bring the hospital garden in Arles alive (where van Gogh spent the good part of a year in the midst of another mental health crisis). During this time, the painter was highly focused and productive, poignantly writing to his brother Theo: 'When I send you the four canvases of the garden that I have on the go, you'll see that considering life happens above all in the garden, it isn't so sad.' 'Van Gogh's Flowers' poster Throughout the experience, an evocative Van Gogh's Flowers Playlist comprised of French jazz and classical music, helps convey the sounds and feelings of southern France. Unobtrusive signage provides background on the artists. Pairing art and nature, Van Gogh's Flowers is more than a botanical show. It offers an innovative and exciting approach to better understand this mysterious artist, his passion, his suffering and his integral connection to nature as a balm for the soul. The NYBG has done a remarkable job pairing its horticultural, educational, and scientific expertise with the amazing setting of the Garden to elicit powerful emotions and promote understanding. Van Gogh's Flowers Van Gogh's Starry Nights at NYBG Visitors can also experience the exhibit after dark at Starry Nights, when live music and lights illuminate these inspiring creations. For the first time in New York City, drones will provide light and color. Cocktails, mocktails, and light bites will be available for purchase, evoking the Parisian bistros frequented by van Gogh. Tickets are available from Fever, a NYBG partner.
CTV News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Banff's Whyte Museum hosts exhibit by the Indigenous Group of Seven
The last surviving member of the Indigenous Seven has curated an exhibit at Banff's Whyte Museum celebrating their work.
