🌈Queer Art History Unit 11 – Queer art in the digital age

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Queer art encompasses artistic expressions that challenge heteronormative and cisnormative narratives, exploring LGBTQ+ identities, experiences, and perspectives
• Digital art refers to art created using digital technologies, including computer graphics, digital painting, 3D modeling, and interactive media
• Intersectionality recognizes the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, and how they create overlapping systems of discrimination or disadvantage
• Cyberfeminism is a movement that explores the relationship between gender, technology, and digital spaces, often challenging patriarchal structures and promoting feminist perspectives
• Glitch art intentionally manipulates digital artifacts or errors to create visually striking and thought-provoking works, often used to subvert traditional aesthetics and challenge norms
  • Glitch art techniques include datamoshing, pixel sorting, and corrupting digital files
• Net art, also known as internet art, is created specifically for online platforms, often incorporating interactivity, hyperlinks, and multimedia elements
• Posthumanism is a philosophical perspective that questions the centrality of the human and explores the blurring boundaries between human, machine, and nature in the digital age
• Queering digital spaces involves subverting and transforming online platforms to create inclusive, diverse, and LGBTQ+-friendly environments

Historical Context and Digital Revolution

• The digital revolution, starting in the late 20th century, transformed the art world by introducing new tools, platforms, and possibilities for artistic expression
• The emergence of the internet and digital technologies in the 1990s provided queer artists with new avenues to explore their identities, connect with communities, and challenge mainstream narratives
• Early digital queer art often focused on visibility, representation, and activism, using the internet as a platform for marginalized voices
  • Online forums, chat rooms, and websites served as vital spaces for queer artists to share their work, find support, and build networks
• The rise of social media in the 2000s further democratized access to digital art creation and dissemination, enabling queer artists to reach wider audiences and engage in global conversations
• Advancements in digital tools and software, such as Adobe Photoshop and Blender, expanded the creative possibilities for queer artists, allowing for more complex and immersive works
• The increasing affordability and accessibility of digital devices and internet connectivity has contributed to the growth and diversity of queer digital art practices worldwide
• The digital revolution has also facilitated the preservation and archiving of queer art, ensuring that marginalized histories and experiences are documented and shared

Queer Representation in Digital Art Forms

• Digital art has provided queer artists with a wide range of mediums to explore and express their identities, experiences, and perspectives
• Digital photography and video art have been instrumental in documenting queer lives, capturing intimate moments, and challenging stereotypical representations
  • Artists like Zanele Muholi use digital photography to create powerful portraits of LGBTQ+ individuals, celebrating their resilience and beauty
• Digital illustration and graphic design have enabled queer artists to create bold, vibrant, and subversive works that challenge gender norms and heteronormative aesthetics
  • Artists like Laurel Halo incorporate glitch art techniques to create striking visual commentaries on gender, sexuality, and identity
• 3D modeling and animation have allowed queer artists to create immersive and interactive experiences that explore complex themes and narratives
  • Works like "The Endless Forest" by Tale of Tales invite users to inhabit a dreamlike virtual world, blurring the boundaries between human and animal, and challenging traditional notions of identity and embodiment
• Video games and interactive media have emerged as powerful tools for queer storytelling and representation, offering players the opportunity to engage with diverse characters and narratives
  • Games like "Dys4ia" by Anna Anthropy use interactive mechanics to convey the personal experiences of gender dysphoria and transition
• Net art and web-based projects have provided queer artists with a platform to create participatory, collaborative, and socially engaged works that foster community and dialogue
  • Projects like "Queer Zine Archive Project" by Milo Miller and Christopher Wilde create online repositories of queer zines, preserving and sharing the rich history of queer self-publishing

Notable Artists and Their Works

• Shu Lea Cheang, a pioneering net artist, explores themes of gender, sexuality, and technology in works like "Brandon" (1998), a collaborative web project that examines the case of Brandon Teena, a transgender man who was murdered in 1993
• Zach Blas, an artist and theorist, creates multimedia installations and performances that investigate the relationship between technology, surveillance, and queer identity, such as "Facial Weaponization Suite" (2011-2014)
• Micha Cárdenas, an artist and theorist, explores the intersections of gender, race, and technology in works like "Becoming Dragon" (2008), a mixed reality performance that uses motion capture to explore the experience of transitioning
• Jacolby Satterwhite, a multimedia artist, creates immersive 3D animated worlds that combine personal history, queer identity, and fantasy, such as "Reifying Desire" (2011-2014)
• Heather Dewey-Hagborg, an artist and biohacker, explores the politics of genetic surveillance and identity in works like "Stranger Visions" (2012-2013), which uses DNA collected from public spaces to create 3D printed portraits
• Tabita Rezaire, a new media artist, explores the intersections of technology, spirituality, and decolonial practices in works like "Premium Connect" (2017), a web-based installation that critiques the extractive nature of the internet
• Juliana Huxtable, an artist and DJ, creates multimedia works that explore the complexities of identity, desire, and the body in the digital age, such as "Untitled (For Stewart)" (2012)
• Evan Ifekoya, an artist and energy worker, creates immersive installations and performances that explore the politics of blackness, queerness, and spiritual practice, such as "Ritual Without Belief" (2018)

Digital Platforms and Queer Art Communities

• Social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr have become crucial spaces for queer artists to share their work, connect with audiences, and build communities
  • Hashtags like #QueerArt, #TransArt, and #NonbinaryArtists have helped to increase visibility and discoverability of queer artists on these platforms
• Online galleries and exhibitions, such as the Digital Transgender Archive and the Queer Arts Festival, provide dedicated spaces for showcasing and promoting queer digital art
• Collaborative platforms like Glitch.com and Rhizome.org foster experimentation, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among queer artists working with digital technologies
• Live streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube have enabled queer artists to create interactive performances, workshops, and discussions, engaging with audiences in real-time
• Online marketplaces and print-on-demand services, such as Society6 and Redbubble, have made it easier for queer artists to monetize their work and reach global audiences
• Virtual and augmented reality platforms, such as VRChat and Mozilla Hubs, have provided new avenues for queer artists to create immersive and interactive experiences that explore identity, embodiment, and social interaction
• Decentralized platforms and blockchain technologies, such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens), have emerged as potential tools for queer artists to assert ownership, provenance, and value of their digital works
  • However, the environmental impact and speculative nature of NFTs have also raised concerns and criticisms within the queer art community

Intersectionality and Digital Queer Art

• Intersectionality is a critical framework for understanding how multiple marginalized identities, such as race, class, gender, and sexuality, intersect and shape the experiences of queer artists in the digital age
• Queer artists of color have used digital platforms to challenge the whiteness and Western-centrism of mainstream queer art narratives, creating works that center their specific experiences and perspectives
  • Artists like Juliana Huxtable and Tabita Rezaire explore the intersections of queerness, blackness, and technology in their digital works
• Transgender and non-binary artists have used digital art to explore the complexities of gender identity, embodiment, and self-representation, often subverting binary gender norms and expectations
  • Works like "Dys4ia" by Anna Anthropy and "Becoming Dragon" by Micha Cárdenas use interactive media to convey the personal experiences of gender transition and fluidity
• Queer artists with disabilities have used digital technologies to create accessible and inclusive works that challenge ableist assumptions and celebrate the diversity of bodies and minds
  • Artists like Sharona Franklin and Yo-Yo Lin create digital works that explore the intersections of queerness, disability, and technology
• Working-class and economically marginalized queer artists have used digital platforms to create and share their work, often challenging the elitism and gatekeeping of traditional art institutions
  • Initiatives like the Queer Art Mentorship program provide support and resources for emerging queer artists from diverse backgrounds
• Digital queer art has also engaged with issues of globalization, migration, and diaspora, exploring how digital technologies both connect and complicate queer identities across borders and cultures
  • Works like "Queer Diaspora" by Zach Blas and "Transborder Immigrant Tool" by Electronic Disturbance Theater 2.0 use digital media to explore the experiences of queer migrants and refugees

Challenges and Controversies

• Digital queer art has faced various challenges and controversies, including censorship, harassment, and appropriation
• Social media platforms have been criticized for inconsistently enforcing community guidelines, often disproportionately targeting and censoring queer and marginalized artists
  • Instances of shadow banning, content removal, and account suspension have raised concerns about the silencing of queer voices and the limitations of corporate-controlled platforms
• Online harassment and hate speech directed towards queer artists have been pervasive issues, particularly for those with intersecting marginalized identities
  • Doxxing, trolling, and coordinated attacks have created hostile and unsafe environments for queer artists, leading some to self-censor or withdraw from digital spaces
• The appropriation and commodification of queer aesthetics and culture by mainstream brands and media have been criticized as "pink washing" or "rainbow capitalism"
  • Queer artists have challenged the superficial and often exploitative use of queer imagery and themes for commercial gain, calling for more authentic and substantive representation
• The digital divide and unequal access to technology and internet connectivity have created barriers for queer artists from marginalized communities, particularly in the Global South
  • Initiatives like the Queer Internet Studies Conference and the Queer Digital Cultures Project aim to address these disparities and promote digital inclusion
• The environmental impact of digital technologies, particularly the energy consumption and e-waste generated by cryptocurrency and blockchain-based art, has raised concerns about the sustainability and ethics of digital queer art practices
  • Artists and activists have called for more eco-friendly and socially responsible approaches to digital art creation and dissemination

Impact and Future Directions

• Digital queer art has had a significant impact on the visibility, representation, and empowerment of LGBTQ+ communities in the digital age
• By creating and sharing their work online, queer artists have challenged dominant narratives, asserted their identities, and fostered a sense of belonging and solidarity across digital spaces
• Digital platforms have enabled queer artists to bypass traditional gatekeepers and institutions, democratizing access to art creation, dissemination, and appreciation
  • This has led to a proliferation of diverse and innovative queer art practices, from net art and glitch art to virtual reality and blockchain-based works
• Queer digital art has also played a crucial role in documenting and preserving LGBTQ+ histories, experiences, and cultures, ensuring that marginalized voices and stories are not erased or forgotten
  • Digital archives, such as the LGBTQ Video Game Archive and the Queer Zine Archive Project, have become vital resources for researchers, activists, and community members
• As digital technologies continue to evolve, queer artists are exploring new frontiers and possibilities for artistic expression, social engagement, and political activism
  • Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, biohacking, and brain-computer interfaces offer new avenues for queer artists to explore questions of identity, embodiment, and posthumanism
• The future of digital queer art is likely to be shaped by ongoing debates and developments around issues such as platform regulation, algorithmic bias, data privacy, and digital sovereignty
  • Queer artists and activists are increasingly advocating for more ethical, inclusive, and community-driven approaches to digital art and technology
• Collaborative and interdisciplinary initiatives, such as the Queer AI Lab and the Queer Ecologies Network, are bringing together artists, researchers, and technologists to explore the intersections of queerness, science, and technology
  • These initiatives aim to foster more equitable, sustainable, and transformative futures for digital queer art and culture