Exploring Queer Aesthetics and the Sublime in Art
Delve into the realm of queer imagination and aesthetics as discussed in Bruce Henderson's book "Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries." The concept of a gay sensibility, the queer sublime, and the romantic sublime are explored, along with analyses of artworks such as "Brokeback Mountain" that challenge conventional narratives. Discover how art transcends boundaries and societal norms to create spaces for marginalized voices.
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CHAPTER 12: QUEERING IMAGINATION: Art, Aesthetics, and Expression Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Is There a Gay [Queer] Sensibility? 1984, Symposium at the New Museum of the New School for Social Research: Jeff Weinstein, journalist and art critic: No, there is no such thing as a gay sensibility, and, yes, it has an enormous impact on our culture. Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Queer Sublime and the Queer Uncanny The sublime: Everyday use: highest praise the utmost in excellence In aesthetics: derived from Longinus, On the Sublime Revived interest: European Romanticism, 19th century Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Romantic Sublime Definition: Not simply the highest achievement of that which is pleasing, but accompanied by sense of terror and an acknowledgment of the unspeakable possibility of death and dissolution in the midst of a universe larger than the individual. Examples: Poetry: Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mont Blanc Painting: Caspar Friedrich, Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog Fiction: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Queer Sublime Danielle Lewis: The Turcot Yards (Montreal) Space of neglect and decay Repurposed (without official sanction): queer space for the homeless and otherwise marginalized Always incomplete, because a completion of the sublime would be dissolved and disappeared Always just this far away from finality Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Brokeback Mountain and the Queer Sublime Davin Grindstaff, The Fist and the Corpse: Taming the Queer Sublime in Brokeback Mountain For some viewers, BBM is a tragedy of social homophobia For others, an individual tragedy of two people unable to make the move into a queer domestic realm; inability even to imagine such a space (Ennis) Grindstaff: symbolically represents the collective trauma that otherwise result from directly witnessing homophobic repression and violence; yet because the film aesthetically induces a feeling of pleasure, audiences transcend the terror that would ordinarily accompany such encounters Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Uncanny: Freud and Beyond 1919: Freud, The Uncanny unheimliche, unhomelike or unfamiliar E.T.A. Hoffman, The Sandman : dancing automaton, Olympia; also, an eye-stealer. Both emblems of the uncanny for Freud The Uncanny Valley, Mashahiro Mori: robots move towards human appearance; at a certain point, they produce discomfort and alienation, when distinction between human and thing is blurred Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Paulina Palmer and the Queer Uncanny Non-heteronormative sexuality and non-cisgender identity produce uncanny effects. In pre-20th century art and literature, LGBT identity usually not overtly represented; hence, the development of horror fiction, especially vampires: monster = queerness For modern nonqueer people, queerness may be an uncanny valley Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Spotlight on Queer Childrens and Young Adult Fiction: Learning to Read Pre-modern examples of potential queerness : Jo in Little Women, characters in Baum s Oz books Oz as mythical space of queer sublime/uncanny: Geoff Ryman, Was (blend of fantasy and realism; AIDS subplot) Gregory Maguire, Wicked series Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die series Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Late 20th-Century Examples Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy novels Fitzhugh, southern lesbian (closeted) writer living in NYC Harriet and Janie as proto-lesbians: baby dykes Series challenged traditional gender roles ( Sport as boy who likes to cook and keep house) and taboo topics (girls bodies and menstruation) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Continued John Donovan, I ll Get There, It Better Be Worth the Trip (1969): Considered first YA novel to mention homosexuality Donovan, worked in children s publishing Plot: Davy, child of divorced parents, lives with grandmother; when she dies, he must live with mother again in NYC Possible queerness of uncle who offers to take Davey Schoolmate, Altschuler, with whom he develops close friendship Drunken moment of physical affection Death of beloved dachshund as punishment Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Lesbian Youth in Mid-20th-Century Fiction Rosa Guy, Ruby (1976): Pair of sisters in NYC, emigres from West Indies Title character falls in love with fellow student, Daphne Ends with Daphne deciding her lesbianism was a phase; Ruby has been politicized and novel is open-ended about her future Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Continued Nancy Garden, Annie on My Mind (1982) Shows up frequently on challenged book lists Liza and Annie, meet in museum, become lovers Protective lesbian couple (teachers): fired Liza threatened with expulsion, but enlightened board does not Girls go to different colleges, but reconnected and decide to meet during Spring Break Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Trans Inclusion in Childrens and YA Literature Julie Anne Peters, Luna (2004) Considered first YA novel to address trans issues Told from point of view of Regan, 16 year-old sister Liam, older sibling, begins to transition to Luna Criticisms: Told by by-stander, rather than trans person Focuses on external actions (dressing in female clothing) Nonetheless, a step forward Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Other Developments in Trans Childrens/YA Literature Kristin Cronn-Mills, Beautiful Music for Ugly Children (2012) Gabe, young trans man, develops following as radio DJ M-E Girard, Girl Mans Up (2016) Pen(elope), Portuguese-immigrant family, masculine-identified I.W. Gregorio, None of the Above (2015) Kristin, homecoming queen, learns she is intersex Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Others Brie Spangler, Belle (2016) Retelling of Beauty and the Beast with trans boy as beauty April Daniels, Dreadnought (2017) First of trans superhero series David Levithan, Every Day series and Two Boys Kissing (2013) Magical realism involving gender fluidity Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Alex Gino and George Written for pre-middle school audience Author identifies as genderqueer Fifth-grader, assigned male at birth Wants to play Charlotte in school production of Charlotte s Web Scene of passing as Melissa (chosen name) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Aesthetics and Art for Arts Sake Whitney Davis, Queer Beauty: concepts of the beautiful have often been connected to same-sex attractiveness (even among heterosexually-identified artists) Not necessarily erotic, but based on formal pleasures produced on mind and senses of the viewer (or reader or listener) David Hume, Enlightenment thinker: On the Standard of Taste: Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Victorian Developments Matthew Arnold: function of art to instill notions of good and bad Walter Pater: desire for that which is beautiful Oscar Wilde: There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.
Critiques of Art for Arts Sake Depoliticizes art Removes it from social activism and venues AIDS epidemic: Political funerals brought together intersection of aesthetics and political activism Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Camp and Irony: Performing the Disguise, Openly/Disguising the Performance Camp: tied to forms of irony Often viewed as coping strategy for navigating heterocentric world A habitusof excessiveness Susan Sontag, Notes on Camp (1964) Distinguished between na ve and deliberate Camp Relegated camp to the realm of the apolitical More recent theorists disagree point to drag as a form of camp that can be political in aims and resultd Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Other Recent Examples of Camp in Society The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence: Melissa Wilcox, Queer Nuns: serious parody The films and writings of John Waters: Grew up in Baltimore Tastelessness : The Diane Linkletter Story (1970) Divine as muse; name derived from Genet s Our Lady of the Flowers Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Feminist Critiques of Camp Does camp depend too much of misogynistic images of and attitudes towards women One response: the use of women in camp is actually an acknowledgment of the courage and power of strong women (such as the larger-than-life movie stars alluded to in camp) Is there such a thing as lesbian camp: drag kings Hyperfemininity, intersected with cultural insider stereotypes: Carmen Tropicano Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Mickee Faust Club Located in Tallahasse, FL Established by Donna Nudd and Terry Galloway, partners; Nudd, an academic, performer, and director at FSU; Galloway, a hearing-impaired performance artist and actor Sketch comedy (and other forms): queercrip (Sandahl) Mass media: RuPaul s Drag Race Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The End of Camp? Does camp only flourish in closeted societies, where reference to queer identity and experience must be indirect or ironically-named? What would a 21st-century camp culture involve? Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Expression as Communion and Community: Celebrating Us Marches and Parades: Earliest marches: the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis: in traditions of serious social protest Parades: post-Stonewall celebrations, with both overtones and undertones of cultural and political pride Controversies: representation of extremes (drag queens and leather community) Appropriation: presence of straight spectators Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Michigan Womyns Music Festival Womyn : term coined to remove men from term Ran from 1976 to 2015 Established by Lisa Vogel, sister, and another friend Week-long opportunity for all-female space to exist for communal appreciation of music, art, performance, and sisterhood Men only permitted as deliverers and other maintenance roles (sanitation); boys spent days at a separate campo Kath Browne: MWMF as imperfect lesbian utopia Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
End of the Festivaland Memorialization In final years, controversies over presence of trans people: Concerns over pre-op (bottom surgery) trans women Fewer concerns over trans men Womyn-born Womyn : shared experience of girlhood Some boycotts by artists; similarly, some artists were boycotted in other venues for supporting the WBW policy Loraine Edwalds and the Artemis Singers, Wanting the Music Musical-theatre piece, telling the story of the Festival through scenes involving a set of women over the years of the event Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Spotlight on Art and the AIDS Crisis Question: why have some categories of artists had more representation than others? Trans people higher rate of infection, but have been represented less frequently and trans artists only recently been involved in AIDS representation as artists and producers. Series Pose shows advances Questions of accuracy: example of characters in Academy Award-winning film, Dallas Buyers Club (2013) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Literature: AIDS Narratives and Poetry Initially, primarily gay, white cis-gender writers: The Violet Quill Paul Monette, memoirist, Borrowed Time Growing presence of lesbian writers: Sarah Schulman, People in Trouble African American writers: James Earl Hardy, The Day Easy-E Died Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Resurgence of AIDS Novels in Recent Years Tim Murphy, Christodora (2016) John Whittier Treat, The Rise and Fall of the Yellow House (2015) Rabih Alameddine, Koolaids: The Art of War (1998) and The Angel of History (2016): Middle Eastern migr Rebecca Makkai, The Great Believers (2018): shifts between 1980s Chicago and 2010s Paris Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Visual Arts Keith Haring: graffiti as street art Aesthetically pleasing (radiant baby image) Social intervention (public spaces) Hugh Auchincloss Steers: fine art traditions Came from wealthy and prestigious family; attended Yale Figurative art: portraits, especially self-portraits Depicted everyday lives of people with AIDS Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Gran Fury: Installations and Multi-Media Art Off-shoot of ACT UP, from 1988-1995 Invoked and presented historical genealogies Use of commodified products (decals, pins, t-shirts): purpose to diffuse messages as widely as possible The New York Crimes (substituted in coin-operated boxes for The New York Times) Let the Record Show: the New Museum Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Names Project: A Quilt of Commemoration 1985: Cleve Jones, San Francisco Invoked feminine traditions of communal art (thus queering gay male participation and alluding to the power and commitment of women in the AIDS epidemic) 1987: assembled panels displayed of National Mall in Washington, D.C. Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Music Popular music: Dionne Warwick cover; 1990 benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall; video; fundraiser and awareness Bruce Springsteen, Streets of Philadelphia (from film Philadelphia, received Academy Award for Best Song) Sylvester and other disco artists Freddie Mercury, band Queen : only came out when dying. Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Classical Musical Traditions and AIDS John Corigliano, Symphony No. 1, Of Rage and Remembrance Robert Savage, AIDS Ward Scherzo Alexandra Pajek, Sounds of HIV, assigned notes to the DNA sequence associated with the virus Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Film and Television 1985: An Early Frost, early television film about AIDS Theatrical films: 1985, Arthur Bressan, Jr., Buddies 1986: Bill Sherwood, Parting Glances 1991, Marlon Riggs, Tongues Untied (queer African-American men with HIV/AIDS) 1993: Jonathan Demme, Philadelphia (first major Hollywood film) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Theatre: Staging HIV/AIDS 1985: Larry Kramer, The Normal Heart, off-Broadway (revived on Broadway and filmed for HBO) 1990, William Finn, Falsettoland, off-Broadway one-act (combined with March of the Falsettos as Falsettos on Broadway, revived and then telecast on PBS) 1991: Tony Kushner, Angels in America, regional and eventually Broadway (filmed for HBO, and revived on- and off-Broadway) 1996: Jonathan Larson, Rent (off-Broadway, Broadway, film, live television) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Dance and Performance Art Dance: Death of ballet star Rudolf Nureyev, from AIDS Neil Greenberg, Not-About-AIDS-Dance Bill T. Jones, Still/Here: people living with chronic/terminal illness (including HIV/AIDS, as was Jones) Controversy: Arlene Croce, dance critic for The New Yorker, refused to attend, saying its use of such dancers and subject matter made it stand outside of art ( Discussing the Undiscussable ) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Performance Art Ron Athey, Four Scenes in a Harsh Life, Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN) Tim Miller, body, story, and language to speak of bodies with HIV/AIDS Scott Dillard, Breathing Darrell : a useful queer mythology Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
