Inspired by the writings of David J. Getsy, Teresa de Lauretis and José Esteban Muñoz, among others, Otherwise seeks to visualize LGBTQ+ themes and histories as a way of valuing them. Getsy defines the “otherwise” as the “endless positions of apartness from which queer stances are posited.”
“The Fralin’s permanent collection contains a number of works that, shown together with two exciting new acquisitions, will spark discussion around unknown and suppressed LGBTQ+ histories within the art historical cannon,” said Matthew McLendon, the Museum’s J. Sanford Miller Family director. “We are excited to see Hannah’s research and work with the collection come to life in this exhibition.”
The two new works include Bona II, Charlottesville, Virginia by Zanele Muholi, an important addition to The Fralin’s photography collection from Muholi’s Somnyama Ngonyama series exploring self-presentation through portraiture. This accession marks the first work by a contemporary non-binary artist in the Fralin’s collection. The second is a 126-page magazine and C-print of the cover entitledIndigenous Woman by Martine Gutierrez. In Indigenous Woman, Gutierrez uses a fashion magazine framework as a vehicle to explore her identity. This acquisition marks the first work in The Fralin collection by a contemporary transgender Latina artist. Both acquisitions bring important subject positions to The Fralin’s collection.
Otherwise will be divided into three categories: Self, Subject and Style. Self features work by artists examining visualizations of identity through self-portraiture, including the work of Yasumasa Morimura and Paul Thek. Subject looks at artists’ representations of queer subjects and themes with work by Nan Golding, Kiki Smith and Duane Michals. Style addresses the problematic impulse to rely on a distinctive categorization of the work of queer artists and explores the ways in which stigma has and continues to influence the visibility of LGBTQ+ artists with work by Berenice Abbott and Louise Nevelson.
Admission to the Fralin Museum of Art and the exhibition is free.
This exhibition is made possible through generous support from the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights at the University of Virginia.
The Fralin Museum of Art’s programming is made possible through generous support of The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation. We also wish to thank our in-kind donors: WTJU 91.1 FM and Ivy Publications LLC’s Charlottesville Welcome Book.
About The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia
Established in 1935, the University of Virginia Art Museum became the Fralin Museum of Art in 2012 in honor of a bequest of American art and service to the university by Cynthia and W. Heywood Fralin. The Museum maintains a collection of nearly 14,000 works of art, including American and European painting, works on paper, and sculpture from the 15th through the 20th centuries; art from the ancient Mediterranean; Asian art; and Native American art. Housed in the historic Bayly Building near the Rotunda on the landmark UVA campus, the Fralin is dedicated to serving the widest possible audiences and engaging comprehensive visual education to enhance its visitors’ understanding of world cultures. Throughout the year the Museum presents a diverse selection of exhibitions, programs, research and events that bring the university and broader community together.
