50 years ago, the Stonewall Inn beme the center of the gay rights movement after a seri of rts broke out. Its fluence on the artists still reverberat.
Contents:
- ARTISTS AND CREATIV REFLECT ON HOW STONEWALL CHANGED ARTARTSY EDORSJUN 14, 2019 3:31PMIT’S BEEN HALF A CENTURY SCE THE FATEFUL SATURDAY OF JUNE 28, 1969, WHEN MEMBERS OF NEW YORK’S GAY MUNY RETALIATED AGAST AN EARLY-MORNG POLICE RAID AT GREENWICH VILLAGE HANGOUT THE STONEWALL INN. A SPONTANEO SERI OF MONSTRATNS NTUED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE STONEWALL RTS, AS THEY HAVE E TO BE KNOWN, SPARKED THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT AND BROUGHT THE FIGHT FOR LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS TO NATNAL ATTENTN. ON STONEWALL’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, WE ASKED ARTISTS, WRERS, AND ACTIVISTS TO SHARE THEIR REFLECTNS ON HOW THAT MOMENT AFFECTED QUEER LIFE NEW YORK CY, AS WELL AS THEIR OWN CREATIVE PRACTIC. ARTIST TOMMY LANIGAN-SCHMIDT, THE ONLY SURVIVG PERSON FEATURED FRED W. MCDARRAH’S INIC 1969 PHOTOGRAPH CELEBRATN AFTER RTS OUTSI STONEWALL INN, REUNTS THE SULAR WAYS GAY MUNI OPERATED BEFORE THE RTS. PHOTOGRAPHER ARTHUR TRS OBSERV THAT DRAG PERFORMERS’ MP THEATRICS OPENED HIM UP TO SURREALISTIC AND HOMOEROTIC THEM HIS OWN WORK. ARTIST AND WRER HARMONY HAMMOND NVEYS THE NECSY OF RERDG THE HISTORY OF LBIAN ART TO PREVENT S ERASURE. ALL OF THE FIGUR WHO HAVE GONE ON THE RERD HERE SCRIBE AN OPENG UP OF GAY LIFE THE YEARS AFTER STONEWALL. THEIR SISTENCE ON LIVG THENTILLY—AND ON FIGHTG FOR THE RIGHT TO DO SO—REFLECTS THE URGENT ISSU OF INTY THAT WE NTUE TO GRAPPLE WH TODAY.HARMONY HAMMONDTHE FEMIST ARTIST, ACTIVIST, CURATOR, AND WRER RELLECTS CURATG HER FIRST LBIAN ART SHOW AND TAKG ON THE TASK OF RERDG THE HISTORY OF LBIAN ART.ADVERTISEMENTSTONEWALL WAS A MOMENTO EVENT WHICH OF URSE IMPACTED MY LIFE, BUT I DIDN’T HAVE THAT “MOON-LANDG MOMENT.” GENERALLY SPEAKG, THE WOMEN’S LIBERATN MOVEMENT AFFECTED MY LIFE MORE THAN THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT. IN 1970, I JOED A NSCNS-RAISG GROUP WH PRIMARILY WOMEN ARTISTS (BOTH STRAIGHT AND LBIAN INTIFIED). UNTIL THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT, WOMEN ARTISTS DIDN’T TALK TO EACH OTHER BEE WOMEN’S LIV, FEELGS, AND EXPERIENC WERE NOT VALUED. WH NSCNS RAISG, WE BEGAN TO UNRSTAND THAT WOMEN AS A CLASS WERE OPPRSED, AND BEGAN TO TAKE WOMEN’S WORK SERLY. WH MY GROUP, THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR EXPERIMENTG AND SPEAKG OM A GENRED VOICE. WHILE THERE WERE A LOT OF GAY AND LBIAN ARTISTS THE DOWNTOWN ART SCENE, SEXUAL PREFERENCE—MUCH LS SEXUAL INTY—OFTEN WENT UNNAMED, AND BEG UNNAMED, REMAED APOLIL. EVEN GAY MEN, MANY OF WHOM WERE CURATORS, ALERS, AND ART WRERS, DISCRIMATED AGAST WOMEN ARTISTS. JT AS WE NEED EXHIBNS THAT FOCED ON HISTORIL AND NTEMPORARY WOMEN ARTISTS, WE NEED SHOWS OF WORK BY LBIAN-INTIFIED ARTISTS WHO WERE ABSENT THE HISTORIL NARRATIVE OF WTERN ART.IN 1978, I CURATED “A LBIAN SHOW” AT 112 GREENE STREET. A FEW LBIAN ARTISTS I KNEW DIDN’T WANT TO BE SUCH A SHOW AS THEY FEARED LABELS WOULD LIM HOW THEIR WORK WOULD BE VIEWED OR THAT THEIR REERS WOULD SUFFER. MOST WELED THE OPPORTUNY TO PUT THE WORDS “LBIAN” AND “ARTIST” TOGETHER, AS SRY AS WAS. I DON’T HAVE TROUBLE CLAIMG LABELS—THEY ARE ONLY LIMG IF YOU LET THEM BE. BGRAPHI ON LBIAN AND BISEXUAL ARTISTS LIKE BETTY PARSONS, LOUISE NEVELSON, AGN MART, AND NELL BLAE WEREN’T PUBLISHED YET. THE HISTORY OF LBIAN ART AND ARTISTS WAS MISSG. THAT’S WHY I CURATED “A LBIAN SHOW” AND WROTE LBIAN ART AMERI: A CONTEMPORARY HISTORY (2000). IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT MAKG OUR WORK; WE HAVE TO DOCUMENT AND PRERVE AND SIST ON A PLACE HISTORY OR TOO WILL BE ERASED. IMAGE ONE OM LEFT: HARMONY HAMMOND AND DGHTER TANYA AT CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY GAY PRI MARCH, NYC, 1974. PHOTO BY CIDNE HART FOR LIBERATN NEWS SERVICE. PRTED MAJORY REPORT. GETTY REARCH INSTUTE, LA. COVER OF HARMONY HAMMOND, LBIAN ART AMERI; A CONTEMPORARY HISTORY (RIZZOLI, NYC, 2000). COVER IMAGE: DYKE, 1993 BY CATHERE OPIE. COVER OF OUR BODI, OURSELV, 1970. IMAGE TWO OM LEFT: COVER OF THE NEW WOMAN’S SURVIVAL SOURCEBOOK, 1975. HARMONY HAMMOND, SELF PORTRA WH BLACK HAT, 1973. GETTY REARCH INSTUTE, LA. ALL IMAG URTY OF HARMONY HAMMOND.MARTHA SHELLEYTHE GAY LIBERATN FRONT -FOUNR, WRER, AND POET ACCINTALLY FOUND HERSELF AT THE STONEWALL RTS. HERE, SHE REFLECTS ON HOW ARTISTIC REPRENTATNS OF LBIANS WERE ALTERED BY THE EVENT.ADVERTISEMENTIN THE YEARS BEFORE STONEWALL, WHEN WOMEN WENT TO A MARCH, THEY HAD TO WEAR SKIRTS, AND MEN WERE SUS AND TI. I HATED . I WAS NOT WEARG SKIRTS NORMALLY. IT WAS SO PHONY: “PLEASE, WE’RE JT LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.” WELL, WE WEREN’T. OR AT LEAST I DIDN’T THK OF MYSELF LIKE THAT. WHEN GAY LIBERATN ME UP, WE WERE SAYG: “WE’RE GONNA BE OUT ON THE STREETS AND YOUR FACE.” WE WOULD GO AS A GROUP TO ANTI-WAR MARCH, OR PICKET AT THE WOMEN’S TENTN CENTER WHEN ANGELA DAVIS WAS THERE. WE HAD MONSTRATNS MANDG OUR RIGHTS AS WHO WE ARE, NOT A SLIGHT VARIATN ON MR. AND MRS. SUBURBIA. BEFORE GAY LIBERATN, IF A MOVIE HAD A GAY CHARACTER, PECIALLY A WOMAN, SHE HAD TO BE KILLED AT THE END. THERE WAS A FILM BASED ON A D.H. LAWRENCE NOVELLA, THE FOX, WH TWO WOMEN —ONE BLON AND ONE BTE. THE BTE IS THE “BUTCH,” THOUGH THEY BOTH LOOK VERY FEME. SHE GETS KILLED THE END, AND THE GUY WALKS OUT WH THE BLON. THAT’S THE KD OF IMAGERY WE GOT. AFTER STONEWALL, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSN OF ART THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, REPRENTED A POSIVE WAY. MY POEMS AND SAYS BEME LS ROMANTICIZED AND MORE REALISTIC. I DIDN’T HAVE TO DISGUISE OR MAKE THGS FLOWERY. OVER THE YEARS, I’VE WRTEN THREE HISTORIL NOVELS, A TRILOGY. THERE ARE LBIANS . THEY JT LIVE THEIR LIV AND THEIR STGGL. FOR ME, BEG A LBIAN HAS BEE THE WAY IS AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHG THAT HAS TO BE HIDN. AND I THK MY ART HAS GOTTEN BETTER FOR .IMAG OM LEFT: MARTHA SHELLEY AT THE LAVENR MENACE ACTN 1970. WOMEN’S LIBERATN, 1970. COURTY OF THE ARTIST.THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDTTHE ARTIST, WHO WAS HIS EARLY TWENTI DURG STONEWALL, REFLECTS ON HIS MUNY OF GAY TEENAGE NAWAYS AND MANHATTAN’S DRAG CULTURE.IT WAS LIKE A DIFFERENT CIVILIZATN BACK THEN. GAY TEENAGERS SPOKE A STREET TALK OF THEIR OWN. IT WAS ILLEGAL FOR MEN TO RRY CERTA TYP OF HANDBAGS OR SHOULR BAGS—STEAD, STREET QUEENS WORE PAN AM BAGS OR THE TOURISTY, GRECIAN BAGS. A “HBAND” WAS ANYONE A PERSON WAS HAVG SEX WH AT THE MOMENT. “SRE DRAG” MEANT ALL MEN’S CLOTHG, BUT YOU ULD HAVE EYE MAKP AND BACKB YOUR HAIR: IT WAS AGAST THE LAW IF YOU WEREN’T WEARG AT LEAST THREE ARTICL OF MEN’S CLOTHG.I RAN AWAY OM HOME NEW JERSEY WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. FORTY-SEND STREET WAS TOO FAST FOR ME—DGGY, A LOT OF HTLG. THE NICE THG ABOUT THE VILLAGE WAS YOU ULD S OUTSI AND READ A BOOK. DOWN THERE, I MET A GROUP OF OTHER GAY TEENAGE NAWAYS. OUR BIGGT ENEMY WAS THE POLICE. WE HAD DIFFERENT LABELS FOR THEM, LIKE LILY LAW, OR LILLIAN, OR LILY. WHEN A P WAS A FOOT AWAY, YOU ULD SAY, “HEY GIRL, THERE’S LILLIAN.” ALL THE WORDS CREATED A WORLD ONLY ME AND MY IENDS ULD UNRSTAND. THERE WAS THIS AREA OF THE VILLAGE, BETWEEN CHRISTOPHER STREET AND THE DOCKS, THAT ULD BE LLED A “GAY GHETTO.” STONEWALL WAS THE MIDDLE OF THAT. ALL DIFFERENT CLASS OF GAY PEOPLE MIXED, AND WAS A VIBRANT PLACE FOR SHARG IAS. STONEWALL WAS IMPORTANT BEE YOU ULD SLOW DANCE THERE, WHICH CREATED A SPACE THAT WASN’T JT ABOUT JUMPG TO HAVG SEX. IT WAS A RUAL SPACE WHERE YOU AND ANOTHER PERSON ULD MUTUALLY CI IF YOU WERE GOG HOME TOGETHER. THERE WAS AN ALTERATN NSCNS. WE WERE DOG THE SAME THG HETEROSEXUALS WERE DOG. IT WAS AN EMBRACE OF PERSONHOOD. AROUND THE TIME OF THE STONEWALL RTS, I STARTED PERFORMG DRAG AS ETHEL DULL (ETHEL SCULL WAS A MAJOR LLECTOR). I’D VE PEOPLE TO WHERE I LIVED AND GIVE A TOUR. I PLAYED MIC AND HAD THE CHALIC AND CROWNS AND TWKLE LIGHTS, WHICH ARE MON THE ART WORLD NOW, BUT NOBODY WAS G THEM THEN—THE ART WORLD HAD NO PLACE FOR ANYTHG GAY. BACK THEN, THE TERM “QUEER” WAS ALWAYS A NEGATIVE THG. IN THE MID- [TO] LATE 1960S, PUBLIC TELLECTUALS LIKE CHARL LUDLAM, CHRISTOPHER STOCKS, AND JACK SMH STARTED TO CHANGE THAT. IT WASN’T VENTED BY AMIA. AMIA SHOULD HAVE MORE HUY. ART DIDN’T CHANGE AFTER STONEWALL—WE CHANGED . IMAGE ONE OM LEFT: THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT, MOTHER STONEWALL AND THE GOLN RATS, 1989. STONEWALL IENDS: THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT (TOP LEFT), MART BOYCE (TOP RIGHT), BIR RIVERA (CENTER). IMAGE TWO OM LEFT: THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT SRE DRAG AS ETHEL DULL. THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT, THE DIALECTIC BETWEEN EROS AND AGAPE, 1989. ALL IMAG URTY OF THE ARTIST AND PAVEL ZOUBOK FE ART, NEW YORK.WENLL WALKERNOW PUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATNS, EXHIBNS, AND SIGN AT THE MM OF THE MOVG IMAGE, WENLL WALKER RELLS THE EMPOWERG ENERGY OF NEW YORK THE AFTER STONEWALL.WHEN I MOVED TO THE CY 1977, STONEWALL WAS ALREADY LEGENDARY. YOU’D HEAR STORI AT THE BAR ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THE HEROISM OF , THE FACT THAT THE DRAG QUEENS HAD STOOD UP AND ACTED. WHEN THE MARCH ON WASHGTON HAPPENED 1979, ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RTS, I THK THAT’S WHEN A LOT OF THGS GELLED. THERE WAS AN AMTRAK CHARTERED DOWN TO D.C.— WAS LIKE A GAY EXPRS TRA. THE ENERGY WAS CREDIBLE. I DON’T THK ANY OF HAD EVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHG LIKE THAT. THE IA OF BEG OUT AND PROUD WAS STILL A NEW NCEPT. I GREW UP MISSISSIPPI—OBVLY, NOT A VERY GAY-IENDLY ENVIRONMENT. TO E OUT PUBLIC LIKE THAT, WH SO MANY PEOPLE, WAS VERY EMPOWERG. I THK THE MARCH LNCHED WHAT WE NOW THK OF AS THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT. THEN THE FIRST DAY WHOUT ART 1989 [WHICH UNED ART PROFSNALS RPONDG TO LIV LOST THE AIDS CRISIS] WAS AN AMAZG EVENT. THAT’S WHEN PEOPLE STARTED REALIZG THE IMPACT OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT ON CULTURE. IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR STONEWALL TO FLUENCE ART. SOMETIM, EVENTS TAKE A LONG TIME TO BE DIGTED AND FILTERED TO OUR NSCNS. THEY N HAVE MORE RONANCE SEVERAL YEARS LATER.IMAGE PTN: PORTRA OF WENLL WALKER (RIGHT) WH LEON WALLER, AN ARTIST AND HIS PARTNER OF ALMOST 42 YEARS, CIR 1979. COURTY OF WENLL WALKER. ARTHUR TRSTHE PHOTOGRAPHER NTEMPLAT HOW STONEWALL EURAGED HIM TO BREAK AWAY OM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY TO VELOP THE SURREAL, OFTEN QUEER-FLECTED SCEN FOR WHICH HE HAS BEE FAMO.BY 1968, I WAS OUT AS A GAY PERSON, WHICH WAS A LTLE B UNUAL FOR THE TIME, BUT I DIDN’T AL WH GAY SUBJECT MATTER MY WORK. THAT WAS PROBABLY A FANCIAL CISN. I DID DO A SERI 1968 OF GAY MEN CISG EACH OTHER THE RAMBLE NEAR THE BOATHOE CENTRAL PARK. I WOULD GO WH MY MERA AND SHOW PEOPLE TRYG TO PICK EACH OTHER UP OR STANDG AROUND POSG. IT WASN’T UNTIL 1977 THAT I WAS ABLE TO EXHIB AND SHOW THOSE PHOTOS. THE STONEWALL MOVEMENT CREATED A PUBLIC FOR MY WORK. PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERI LIKE THE LLIE-LOHMAN GAY ART FOUNDATN BEGAN TO SHOW GAY ART FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHICH WAS QUE AN EXTRAORDARY THG. JT 10 YEARS AFTER I TOOK THE PHOTOS THE RAMBLE, I WAS ABLE TO EARN A LIVG DOG GAY MATERIAL. THERE WAS A NEW ERA OF GAY MAGAZ LIKE HONCHO, CHRISTOPHER STREET, AND MANDATE. I WORKED FOR THEM ALMOST LIKE A STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER.AFTER STONEWALL, I BEME VOLVED WH CHARL LUDLAM AND THE THEATER OF THE RIDICULO. THAT OPENED ME UP. GAY PEOPLE ARE OFTEN OPEN TO SURREAL, THEATRIL KDS OF MP AND DRAG EXPERIENC. YOU MIGHT SAY THAT DRAG QUEENS’ OVER-THE-TOP THEATRILY LEGIMIZED THAT; THE ARE REALLY POWERFUL PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE TO THEMSELV AND ARE NOT AAID OF EXPOSG THEIR NER QUEERNS TO EVERYONE BY CROSSDRSG.MY WORK BEGAN TENDG TO A MORE QUEER POT OF VIEW, WHATEVER THAT MEANS. I FELT THAT I DIDN’T HAVE TO BE A MACHO MAGNUM PHOTOGRAPHER ANYMORE. IN 1970, I BROKE AWAY OM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY, WHICH HAD ALWAYS BEEN DONE BY THE HETEROSEXUAL GUYS, WH MY SERI “THE DREAM COLLECTOR,” WHICH SHOWS DREAMS OF CHILDREN FLYG, FALLG. IT WAS LIBERATG FOR ME TO BRG MY IMAGATIVE FANTASY LIFE TO MY PHOTOGRAPHY AND PUT THAT ON THE WALL.IMAGE ONE OM LEFT: ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE, PETER REED, AND SAM WAGSTAFF AT ARTHUR TRS OPENG, 1979. ARTHUR TRS 2000. MILLENNIAL POSTAGE STAMP MISSNED BY THE ROYAL POST WH GAY THEME. COUPLE MUNICIPAL BUILDG ROOF, NEW YORK, CHRISTOPHER ST. MAGAZE, 1978. IMAGE TWO OM LEFT: ARTHUR TRS, SELF PORTRA, ABRAHAM LLN HIGH SCHOOL, BROOKLYN, 1958. ARTHUR TRS AT THE FIRST GAY PRI PARA, CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK, 1970. ALL IMAG URTY OF THE ARTIST.MICHELA GRIFFOTHE ARTIST, WHO WAS 20 DURG STONEWALL, REMEMBERS HER ACTIVIST BEGNGS WH THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, HER FIRST POLIL ARTWORK, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DANCE.WHEN THE STONEWALL RTS OCCURRED AT NIGHT, I HAD NO IA. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SMALL ARTICLE— WAS ALL KD OF HH-HH. THERE WAS SO MUCH GOG ON AT THE TIME, OM THE PANTHERS TO THE SDS [STUNTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, AN ANTI-WAR GROUP] UP AT COLUMBIA TO THE YOUNG LORDS [A CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP]. KENT STATE WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. EVERYBODY WAS THE STREETS RTG ABOUT SOMETHG. BUT I WAS ED TO BEG SP ON AND YELLED AT BEE I WAS PART OF THE REDSTOCKGS, THE FIRST GROUP THAT WANTED TO CHANGE ABORTN LAWS NEW YORK. I WAS ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST 12 MEMBERS OF THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN (NOW). MY HIGH-SCHOOL SWEETHEART AND I SEPARATED WHEN HE TRODUCED ME TO HIS FAY—RELIG DIFFERENC. IN AUGT OF 1969, I WAS LEAVG A RED STOCKGS MEETG A METHODIST CHURCH AND THIS ATTRACTIVE MOL ASKED ME TO GET FFEE. SHE VED ME TO ANDY WARHOL’S PARTI; HER BT IEND WAS DIVE. I HAD NO IA WE WERE DATG: THE IA OF BEG WH A WOMAN JT WASN’T ON MY RADAR. IN FEBARY OF 1970, SHE KISSED ME. THAT WAS . AT THAT TIME, “LBIAN” WAS THE WORST THG YOU ULD LL A FEMIST. SO MANY NOW WERE CLOSETED.I SAW AN AD THE PAPER FOR THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. THAT WAS THE BEGNG OF MY GAY ACTIVISM. DRAG QUEENS WERE A FE PART OF OUR CULTURE. I WORKED WH MARSHA [P. JOHNSON] AND SYLVIA [RIVERA]—THEY WERE TWO OF THE GROUP’S FIRST MEMBERS. FEW PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT ’S THE LBIANS WHO CLOSED DOWN THE MAFIA-N GAY BARS—THEY WERE ABIVE, THE DRKS WERE EXPENSIVE. FLAVIA RANDO AND I PICKETED AND HAND OUT LEAFLETS. WE WANTED WOMEN TO E TO OUR DANC STEAD, AT ALTERNATE U, DOWN THE STREET OM THE 14TH STREET MAFIA BAR KOOKY’S. ONE NIGHT, SOME MAFSOS SHOWED UP. I SAW THE GUNS! I GAVE OUR SH BOX TO [PHOTOGRAPHER] DONNA GOTTSCHALK AND TOLD HER TO TAKE DOWN THE BACK STAIRS A GARBAGE BAG. I SAID TO THEM, “WE DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY. YOU’RE WELE TO STAY IF YOU LIKE.” IN A MATTER OF WEEKS, THE BARS N BY THE MAFIA WERE CLOSED. FOR THE FIRST GAY PRI MARCH (1970), I MA A POSTER THAT READ “I AM YOUR WORST FEAR; I AM YOUR BT FANTASY.” IT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF POLIL ART I EVER MA.IMAG OM LEFT: PORTRA OF MICHELA GRIFFO BY ELLEN SHUMSKY; URTY OF THE ARTIST. DIANA DAVI, DONNA GOTTSCHALK HOLDS POSTER “I AM YOUR WORST FEAR I AM YOUR BT FANTASTY” AT CHRISTOPHER STREET GAY LIBERATN DAY PARA, 1970. PHOTO BY DIANA DAVI, MANCRIPTS AND ARCHIV DIVISN, THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. COURTY OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. FLAVIA RANDO
- 5 ARTISTS WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS OM ART
ARTISTS AND CREATIV REFLECT ON HOW STONEWALL CHANGED ARTARTSY EDORSJUN 14, 2019 3:31PMIT’S BEEN HALF A CENTURY SCE THE FATEFUL SATURDAY OF JUNE 28, 1969, WHEN MEMBERS OF NEW YORK’S GAY MUNY RETALIATED AGAST AN EARLY-MORNG POLICE RAID AT GREENWICH VILLAGE HANGOUT THE STONEWALL INN. A SPONTANEO SERI OF MONSTRATNS NTUED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE STONEWALL RTS, AS THEY HAVE E TO BE KNOWN, SPARKED THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT AND BROUGHT THE FIGHT FOR LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS TO NATNAL ATTENTN. ON STONEWALL’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, WE ASKED ARTISTS, WRERS, AND ACTIVISTS TO SHARE THEIR REFLECTNS ON HOW THAT MOMENT AFFECTED QUEER LIFE NEW YORK CY, AS WELL AS THEIR OWN CREATIVE PRACTIC. ARTIST TOMMY LANIGAN-SCHMIDT, THE ONLY SURVIVG PERSON FEATURED FRED W. MCDARRAH’S INIC 1969 PHOTOGRAPH CELEBRATN AFTER RTS OUTSI STONEWALL INN, REUNTS THE SULAR WAYS GAY MUNI OPERATED BEFORE THE RTS. PHOTOGRAPHER ARTHUR TRS OBSERV THAT DRAG PERFORMERS’ MP THEATRICS OPENED HIM UP TO SURREALISTIC AND HOMOEROTIC THEM HIS OWN WORK. ARTIST AND WRER HARMONY HAMMOND NVEYS THE NECSY OF RERDG THE HISTORY OF LBIAN ART TO PREVENT S ERASURE. ALL OF THE FIGUR WHO HAVE GONE ON THE RERD HERE SCRIBE AN OPENG UP OF GAY LIFE THE YEARS AFTER STONEWALL. THEIR SISTENCE ON LIVG THENTILLY—AND ON FIGHTG FOR THE RIGHT TO DO SO—REFLECTS THE URGENT ISSU OF INTY THAT WE NTUE TO GRAPPLE WH TODAY.HARMONY HAMMONDTHE FEMIST ARTIST, ACTIVIST, CURATOR, AND WRER RELLECTS CURATG HER FIRST LBIAN ART SHOW AND TAKG ON THE TASK OF RERDG THE HISTORY OF LBIAN ART.ADVERTISEMENTSTONEWALL WAS A MOMENTO EVENT WHICH OF URSE IMPACTED MY LIFE, BUT I DIDN’T HAVE THAT “MOON-LANDG MOMENT.” GENERALLY SPEAKG, THE WOMEN’S LIBERATN MOVEMENT AFFECTED MY LIFE MORE THAN THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT. IN 1970, I JOED A NSCNS-RAISG GROUP WH PRIMARILY WOMEN ARTISTS (BOTH STRAIGHT AND LBIAN INTIFIED). UNTIL THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT, WOMEN ARTISTS DIDN’T TALK TO EACH OTHER BEE WOMEN’S LIV, FEELGS, AND EXPERIENC WERE NOT VALUED. WH NSCNS RAISG, WE BEGAN TO UNRSTAND THAT WOMEN AS A CLASS WERE OPPRSED, AND BEGAN TO TAKE WOMEN’S WORK SERLY. WH MY GROUP, THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR EXPERIMENTG AND SPEAKG OM A GENRED VOICE. WHILE THERE WERE A LOT OF GAY AND LBIAN ARTISTS THE DOWNTOWN ART SCENE, SEXUAL PREFERENCE—MUCH LS SEXUAL INTY—OFTEN WENT UNNAMED, AND BEG UNNAMED, REMAED APOLIL. EVEN GAY MEN, MANY OF WHOM WERE CURATORS, ALERS, AND ART WRERS, DISCRIMATED AGAST WOMEN ARTISTS. JT AS WE NEED EXHIBNS THAT FOCED ON HISTORIL AND NTEMPORARY WOMEN ARTISTS, WE NEED SHOWS OF WORK BY LBIAN-INTIFIED ARTISTS WHO WERE ABSENT THE HISTORIL NARRATIVE OF WTERN ART.IN 1978, I CURATED “A LBIAN SHOW” AT 112 GREENE STREET. A FEW LBIAN ARTISTS I KNEW DIDN’T WANT TO BE SUCH A SHOW AS THEY FEARED LABELS WOULD LIM HOW THEIR WORK WOULD BE VIEWED OR THAT THEIR REERS WOULD SUFFER. MOST WELED THE OPPORTUNY TO PUT THE WORDS “LBIAN” AND “ARTIST” TOGETHER, AS SRY AS WAS. I DON’T HAVE TROUBLE CLAIMG LABELS—THEY ARE ONLY LIMG IF YOU LET THEM BE. BGRAPHI ON LBIAN AND BISEXUAL ARTISTS LIKE BETTY PARSONS, LOUISE NEVELSON, AGN MART, AND NELL BLAE WEREN’T PUBLISHED YET. THE HISTORY OF LBIAN ART AND ARTISTS WAS MISSG. THAT’S WHY I CURATED “A LBIAN SHOW” AND WROTE LBIAN ART AMERI: A CONTEMPORARY HISTORY (2000). IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT MAKG OUR WORK; WE HAVE TO DOCUMENT AND PRERVE AND SIST ON A PLACE HISTORY OR TOO WILL BE ERASED. IMAGE ONE OM LEFT: HARMONY HAMMOND AND DGHTER TANYA AT CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY GAY PRI MARCH, NYC, 1974. PHOTO BY CIDNE HART FOR LIBERATN NEWS SERVICE. PRTED MAJORY REPORT. GETTY REARCH INSTUTE, LA. COVER OF HARMONY HAMMOND, LBIAN ART AMERI; A CONTEMPORARY HISTORY (RIZZOLI, NYC, 2000). COVER IMAGE: DYKE, 1993 BY CATHERE OPIE. COVER OF OUR BODI, OURSELV, 1970. IMAGE TWO OM LEFT: COVER OF THE NEW WOMAN’S SURVIVAL SOURCEBOOK, 1975. HARMONY HAMMOND, SELF PORTRA WH BLACK HAT, 1973. GETTY REARCH INSTUTE, LA. ALL IMAG URTY OF HARMONY HAMMOND.MARTHA SHELLEYTHE GAY LIBERATN FRONT -FOUNR, WRER, AND POET ACCINTALLY FOUND HERSELF AT THE STONEWALL RTS. HERE, SHE REFLECTS ON HOW ARTISTIC REPRENTATNS OF LBIANS WERE ALTERED BY THE EVENT.ADVERTISEMENTIN THE YEARS BEFORE STONEWALL, WHEN WOMEN WENT TO A MARCH, THEY HAD TO WEAR SKIRTS, AND MEN WERE SUS AND TI. I HATED . I WAS NOT WEARG SKIRTS NORMALLY. IT WAS SO PHONY: “PLEASE, WE’RE JT LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.” WELL, WE WEREN’T. OR AT LEAST I DIDN’T THK OF MYSELF LIKE THAT. WHEN GAY LIBERATN ME UP, WE WERE SAYG: “WE’RE GONNA BE OUT ON THE STREETS AND YOUR FACE.” WE WOULD GO AS A GROUP TO ANTI-WAR MARCH, OR PICKET AT THE WOMEN’S TENTN CENTER WHEN ANGELA DAVIS WAS THERE. WE HAD MONSTRATNS MANDG OUR RIGHTS AS WHO WE ARE, NOT A SLIGHT VARIATN ON MR. AND MRS. SUBURBIA. BEFORE GAY LIBERATN, IF A MOVIE HAD A GAY CHARACTER, PECIALLY A WOMAN, SHE HAD TO BE KILLED AT THE END. THERE WAS A FILM BASED ON A D.H. LAWRENCE NOVELLA, THE FOX, WH TWO WOMEN —ONE BLON AND ONE BTE. THE BTE IS THE “BUTCH,” THOUGH THEY BOTH LOOK VERY FEME. SHE GETS KILLED THE END, AND THE GUY WALKS OUT WH THE BLON. THAT’S THE KD OF IMAGERY WE GOT. AFTER STONEWALL, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSN OF ART THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, REPRENTED A POSIVE WAY. MY POEMS AND SAYS BEME LS ROMANTICIZED AND MORE REALISTIC. I DIDN’T HAVE TO DISGUISE OR MAKE THGS FLOWERY. OVER THE YEARS, I’VE WRTEN THREE HISTORIL NOVELS, A TRILOGY. THERE ARE LBIANS . THEY JT LIVE THEIR LIV AND THEIR STGGL. FOR ME, BEG A LBIAN HAS BEE THE WAY IS AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHG THAT HAS TO BE HIDN. AND I THK MY ART HAS GOTTEN BETTER FOR .IMAG OM LEFT: MARTHA SHELLEY AT THE LAVENR MENACE ACTN 1970. WOMEN’S LIBERATN, 1970. COURTY OF THE ARTIST.THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDTTHE ARTIST, WHO WAS HIS EARLY TWENTI DURG STONEWALL, REFLECTS ON HIS MUNY OF GAY TEENAGE NAWAYS AND MANHATTAN’S DRAG CULTURE.IT WAS LIKE A DIFFERENT CIVILIZATN BACK THEN. GAY TEENAGERS SPOKE A STREET TALK OF THEIR OWN. IT WAS ILLEGAL FOR MEN TO RRY CERTA TYP OF HANDBAGS OR SHOULR BAGS—STEAD, STREET QUEENS WORE PAN AM BAGS OR THE TOURISTY, GRECIAN BAGS. A “HBAND” WAS ANYONE A PERSON WAS HAVG SEX WH AT THE MOMENT. “SRE DRAG” MEANT ALL MEN’S CLOTHG, BUT YOU ULD HAVE EYE MAKP AND BACKB YOUR HAIR: IT WAS AGAST THE LAW IF YOU WEREN’T WEARG AT LEAST THREE ARTICL OF MEN’S CLOTHG.I RAN AWAY OM HOME NEW JERSEY WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. FORTY-SEND STREET WAS TOO FAST FOR ME—DGGY, A LOT OF HTLG. THE NICE THG ABOUT THE VILLAGE WAS YOU ULD S OUTSI AND READ A BOOK. DOWN THERE, I MET A GROUP OF OTHER GAY TEENAGE NAWAYS. OUR BIGGT ENEMY WAS THE POLICE. WE HAD DIFFERENT LABELS FOR THEM, LIKE LILY LAW, OR LILLIAN, OR LILY. WHEN A P WAS A FOOT AWAY, YOU ULD SAY, “HEY GIRL, THERE’S LILLIAN.” ALL THE WORDS CREATED A WORLD ONLY ME AND MY IENDS ULD UNRSTAND. THERE WAS THIS AREA OF THE VILLAGE, BETWEEN CHRISTOPHER STREET AND THE DOCKS, THAT ULD BE LLED A “GAY GHETTO.” STONEWALL WAS THE MIDDLE OF THAT. ALL DIFFERENT CLASS OF GAY PEOPLE MIXED, AND WAS A VIBRANT PLACE FOR SHARG IAS. STONEWALL WAS IMPORTANT BEE YOU ULD SLOW DANCE THERE, WHICH CREATED A SPACE THAT WASN’T JT ABOUT JUMPG TO HAVG SEX. IT WAS A RUAL SPACE WHERE YOU AND ANOTHER PERSON ULD MUTUALLY CI IF YOU WERE GOG HOME TOGETHER. THERE WAS AN ALTERATN NSCNS. WE WERE DOG THE SAME THG HETEROSEXUALS WERE DOG. IT WAS AN EMBRACE OF PERSONHOOD. AROUND THE TIME OF THE STONEWALL RTS, I STARTED PERFORMG DRAG AS ETHEL DULL (ETHEL SCULL WAS A MAJOR LLECTOR). I’D VE PEOPLE TO WHERE I LIVED AND GIVE A TOUR. I PLAYED MIC AND HAD THE CHALIC AND CROWNS AND TWKLE LIGHTS, WHICH ARE MON THE ART WORLD NOW, BUT NOBODY WAS G THEM THEN—THE ART WORLD HAD NO PLACE FOR ANYTHG GAY. BACK THEN, THE TERM “QUEER” WAS ALWAYS A NEGATIVE THG. IN THE MID- [TO] LATE 1960S, PUBLIC TELLECTUALS LIKE CHARL LUDLAM, CHRISTOPHER STOCKS, AND JACK SMH STARTED TO CHANGE THAT. IT WASN’T VENTED BY AMIA. AMIA SHOULD HAVE MORE HUY. ART DIDN’T CHANGE AFTER STONEWALL—WE CHANGED . IMAGE ONE OM LEFT: THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT, MOTHER STONEWALL AND THE GOLN RATS, 1989. STONEWALL IENDS: THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT (TOP LEFT), MART BOYCE (TOP RIGHT), BIR RIVERA (CENTER). IMAGE TWO OM LEFT: THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT SRE DRAG AS ETHEL DULL. THOMAS LANIGAN-SCHMIDT, THE DIALECTIC BETWEEN EROS AND AGAPE, 1989. ALL IMAG URTY OF THE ARTIST AND PAVEL ZOUBOK FE ART, NEW YORK.WENLL WALKERNOW PUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATNS, EXHIBNS, AND SIGN AT THE MM OF THE MOVG IMAGE, WENLL WALKER RELLS THE EMPOWERG ENERGY OF NEW YORK THE AFTER STONEWALL.WHEN I MOVED TO THE CY 1977, STONEWALL WAS ALREADY LEGENDARY. YOU’D HEAR STORI AT THE BAR ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THE HEROISM OF , THE FACT THAT THE DRAG QUEENS HAD STOOD UP AND ACTED. WHEN THE MARCH ON WASHGTON HAPPENED 1979, ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RTS, I THK THAT’S WHEN A LOT OF THGS GELLED. THERE WAS AN AMTRAK CHARTERED DOWN TO D.C.— WAS LIKE A GAY EXPRS TRA. THE ENERGY WAS CREDIBLE. I DON’T THK ANY OF HAD EVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHG LIKE THAT. THE IA OF BEG OUT AND PROUD WAS STILL A NEW NCEPT. I GREW UP MISSISSIPPI—OBVLY, NOT A VERY GAY-IENDLY ENVIRONMENT. TO E OUT PUBLIC LIKE THAT, WH SO MANY PEOPLE, WAS VERY EMPOWERG. I THK THE MARCH LNCHED WHAT WE NOW THK OF AS THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT. THEN THE FIRST DAY WHOUT ART 1989 [WHICH UNED ART PROFSNALS RPONDG TO LIV LOST THE AIDS CRISIS] WAS AN AMAZG EVENT. THAT’S WHEN PEOPLE STARTED REALIZG THE IMPACT OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT ON CULTURE. IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR STONEWALL TO FLUENCE ART. SOMETIM, EVENTS TAKE A LONG TIME TO BE DIGTED AND FILTERED TO OUR NSCNS. THEY N HAVE MORE RONANCE SEVERAL YEARS LATER.IMAGE PTN: PORTRA OF WENLL WALKER (RIGHT) WH LEON WALLER, AN ARTIST AND HIS PARTNER OF ALMOST 42 YEARS, CIR 1979. COURTY OF WENLL WALKER. ARTHUR TRSTHE PHOTOGRAPHER NTEMPLAT HOW STONEWALL EURAGED HIM TO BREAK AWAY OM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY TO VELOP THE SURREAL, OFTEN QUEER-FLECTED SCEN FOR WHICH HE HAS BEE FAMO.BY 1968, I WAS OUT AS A GAY PERSON, WHICH WAS A LTLE B UNUAL FOR THE TIME, BUT I DIDN’T AL WH GAY SUBJECT MATTER MY WORK. THAT WAS PROBABLY A FANCIAL CISN. I DID DO A SERI 1968 OF GAY MEN CISG EACH OTHER THE RAMBLE NEAR THE BOATHOE CENTRAL PARK. I WOULD GO WH MY MERA AND SHOW PEOPLE TRYG TO PICK EACH OTHER UP OR STANDG AROUND POSG. IT WASN’T UNTIL 1977 THAT I WAS ABLE TO EXHIB AND SHOW THOSE PHOTOS. THE STONEWALL MOVEMENT CREATED A PUBLIC FOR MY WORK. PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERI LIKE THE LLIE-LOHMAN GAY ART FOUNDATN BEGAN TO SHOW GAY ART FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHICH WAS QUE AN EXTRAORDARY THG. JT 10 YEARS AFTER I TOOK THE PHOTOS THE RAMBLE, I WAS ABLE TO EARN A LIVG DOG GAY MATERIAL. THERE WAS A NEW ERA OF GAY MAGAZ LIKE HONCHO, CHRISTOPHER STREET, AND MANDATE. I WORKED FOR THEM ALMOST LIKE A STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER.AFTER STONEWALL, I BEME VOLVED WH CHARL LUDLAM AND THE THEATER OF THE RIDICULO. THAT OPENED ME UP. GAY PEOPLE ARE OFTEN OPEN TO SURREAL, THEATRIL KDS OF MP AND DRAG EXPERIENC. YOU MIGHT SAY THAT DRAG QUEENS’ OVER-THE-TOP THEATRILY LEGIMIZED THAT; THE ARE REALLY POWERFUL PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE TO THEMSELV AND ARE NOT AAID OF EXPOSG THEIR NER QUEERNS TO EVERYONE BY CROSSDRSG.MY WORK BEGAN TENDG TO A MORE QUEER POT OF VIEW, WHATEVER THAT MEANS. I FELT THAT I DIDN’T HAVE TO BE A MACHO MAGNUM PHOTOGRAPHER ANYMORE. IN 1970, I BROKE AWAY OM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY, WHICH HAD ALWAYS BEEN DONE BY THE HETEROSEXUAL GUYS, WH MY SERI “THE DREAM COLLECTOR,” WHICH SHOWS DREAMS OF CHILDREN FLYG, FALLG. IT WAS LIBERATG FOR ME TO BRG MY IMAGATIVE FANTASY LIFE TO MY PHOTOGRAPHY AND PUT THAT ON THE WALL.IMAGE ONE OM LEFT: ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE, PETER REED, AND SAM WAGSTAFF AT ARTHUR TRS OPENG, 1979. ARTHUR TRS 2000. MILLENNIAL POSTAGE STAMP MISSNED BY THE ROYAL POST WH GAY THEME. COUPLE MUNICIPAL BUILDG ROOF, NEW YORK, CHRISTOPHER ST. MAGAZE, 1978. IMAGE TWO OM LEFT: ARTHUR TRS, SELF PORTRA, ABRAHAM LLN HIGH SCHOOL, BROOKLYN, 1958. ARTHUR TRS AT THE FIRST GAY PRI PARA, CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK, 1970. ALL IMAG URTY OF THE ARTIST.MICHELA GRIFFOTHE ARTIST, WHO WAS 20 DURG STONEWALL, REMEMBERS HER ACTIVIST BEGNGS WH THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT, HER FIRST POLIL ARTWORK, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DANCE.WHEN THE STONEWALL RTS OCCURRED AT NIGHT, I HAD NO IA. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SMALL ARTICLE— WAS ALL KD OF HH-HH. THERE WAS SO MUCH GOG ON AT THE TIME, OM THE PANTHERS TO THE SDS [STUNTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, AN ANTI-WAR GROUP] UP AT COLUMBIA TO THE YOUNG LORDS [A CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP]. KENT STATE WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. EVERYBODY WAS THE STREETS RTG ABOUT SOMETHG. BUT I WAS ED TO BEG SP ON AND YELLED AT BEE I WAS PART OF THE REDSTOCKGS, THE FIRST GROUP THAT WANTED TO CHANGE ABORTN LAWS NEW YORK. I WAS ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST 12 MEMBERS OF THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR WOMEN (NOW). MY HIGH-SCHOOL SWEETHEART AND I SEPARATED WHEN HE TRODUCED ME TO HIS FAY—RELIG DIFFERENC. IN AUGT OF 1969, I WAS LEAVG A RED STOCKGS MEETG A METHODIST CHURCH AND THIS ATTRACTIVE MOL ASKED ME TO GET FFEE. SHE VED ME TO ANDY WARHOL’S PARTI; HER BT IEND WAS DIVE. I HAD NO IA WE WERE DATG: THE IA OF BEG WH A WOMAN JT WASN’T ON MY RADAR. IN FEBARY OF 1970, SHE KISSED ME. THAT WAS . AT THAT TIME, “LBIAN” WAS THE WORST THG YOU ULD LL A FEMIST. SO MANY NOW WERE CLOSETED.I SAW AN AD THE PAPER FOR THE GAY LIBERATN FRONT. THAT WAS THE BEGNG OF MY GAY ACTIVISM. DRAG QUEENS WERE A FE PART OF OUR CULTURE. I WORKED WH MARSHA [P. JOHNSON] AND SYLVIA [RIVERA]—THEY WERE TWO OF THE GROUP’S FIRST MEMBERS. FEW PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT ’S THE LBIANS WHO CLOSED DOWN THE MAFIA-N GAY BARS—THEY WERE ABIVE, THE DRKS WERE EXPENSIVE. FLAVIA RANDO AND I PICKETED AND HAND OUT LEAFLETS. WE WANTED WOMEN TO E TO OUR DANC STEAD, AT ALTERNATE U, DOWN THE STREET OM THE 14TH STREET MAFIA BAR KOOKY’S. ONE NIGHT, SOME MAFSOS SHOWED UP. I SAW THE GUNS! I GAVE OUR SH BOX TO [PHOTOGRAPHER] DONNA GOTTSCHALK AND TOLD HER TO TAKE DOWN THE BACK STAIRS A GARBAGE BAG. I SAID TO THEM, “WE DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY. YOU’RE WELE TO STAY IF YOU LIKE.” IN A MATTER OF WEEKS, THE BARS N BY THE MAFIA WERE CLOSED. FOR THE FIRST GAY PRI MARCH (1970), I MA A POSTER THAT READ “I AM YOUR WORST FEAR; I AM YOUR BT FANTASY.” IT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF POLIL ART I EVER MA.IMAG OM LEFT: PORTRA OF MICHELA GRIFFO BY ELLEN SHUMSKY; URTY OF THE ARTIST. DIANA DAVI, DONNA GOTTSCHALK HOLDS POSTER “I AM YOUR WORST FEAR I AM YOUR BT FANTASTY” AT CHRISTOPHER STREET GAY LIBERATN DAY PARA, 1970. PHOTO BY DIANA DAVI, MANCRIPTS AND ARCHIV DIVISN, THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. COURTY OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. FLAVIA RANDO
* gay rights paintings *
June 20, 2021Homosexualy and genr fluidy have appeared as subjects art for lennia, but for morn Wtern cultur, wasn’t until the late 20th century that artists uld treat such them overtly, whout fear of censorship, ostracism or even arrt. The well-documented tippg pot was June 1969, when a route police raid on the Stonewall Inn — a bar Greenwich Village known for drawg a gay, lbian and transgenr crowd — unwtgly gave rise to an ongog groundswell of LGBTQ activism.
5 ARTISTS WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS OM ART
At the time, homosexualy was illegal 49 stat, gays and lbians were barred om workg for the feral ernment, and police treated cross-drsg as a punishable crime.
“Pri was a reversal of shame, and there was long shame around beg gay or genr-nonnformg. After Stonewall, om the 1970s on, art beme a safe space where overtly gay, lbian, trans, queer and nonnformg ias, subjects and imag uld be eely explored.