In celebrating LGBQT+ History month, LSE Arts are hosting an exhibition detailing key QTIPOC campaigners, their experiences and their fight for equal rights through visual media.
You are immediately faced with a bold, life-sized painting drafted by Amir Khadar. Khadar’s art was inspired by experiences of racial fetishization, while also showcasing what it means to live in a pigmentocratic society.
This is complemented alongside Ashton Attzs’s piece. Winner of The Evening Standard Art Prize, Attzs showcases the multitude of individuals within a luscious, green park emphasising how day-to-day experiences and struggles fought by transgender individuals are attributed to all races.
While, Zanele Muholi’s portrait of a South African trans-individual is simple yet effective. The image mixes South African culture and continued QTI societal experiences while, impactfully communicating the need to continue fighting.
Keith Zenga King’s art pieces are just as effective. The powerful image of an African, trans refugee contrasts with an orange rose depicted in the image perfectly communicates the amplified struggles existent among migrant, LGBT+ individuals.
Captured along these collages and art pieces are further actors who made major strides in LGBT+ activists including Gloria Anzaldua, a Mexican-American scholar, poet and writer prominent in depicting queerness in communities and Dr Frank Mugisha, through his fight against the homosexuality act in 2014. While, Ifti Nasim who fled Pakistan and developed “Narman” poetry, the expression of trans and gay desires and belongings.
These actors and actions depict how LGBT+ segregation has been and continues to remain existent upon a global scale. And also showcases the revolutions and struggles constituted towards gaining equal rights, proving inspirational for multiple actors to act as well.
This short summary does not do proper justice to the amazing collection of art and brave people presented within the exhibition. The display will ran from the 4-15th February located within the Atrium Gallery of the Old Building.
