Barbara Cameron, 47, Lakota, longtime lesbian/gay community activist, photographer, painter, writer and co-founder (with Randy Burns) of the Gay American Indian Movement, died February 12th, 2002. She was born May 22, 1954. Her writings are published in This bridge called me back (ed. by C. Moraga, G. Anzalda and B. Smith; Persephone Press), Gathering of spirit: a collection by North American Indian women (ed. by Beth Brant; Firebrand Books), and elsewhere. She is survived by Linda Boyd, her partner of many years.
Laurie Toby Edison’s “Men of color: nudes at ease” is the featured exhibition of the National Queer Arts Festival in San Francisco in June (exhibition dates: June 7-28). From Laurie: “In a world where virtually the only male nudes we see are posed, sexualized, and/or manipulated images of a very narrow range of fetishized men, photographer Laurie Toby Edison’s work brilliantly expands and elaborates our images of sexuality. This selection of black-and-white photographs from her internationally acclaimed series ‘Familiar men’ provides breathtaking new insights into the bodies and lives of men of color across a broad range of age, size, and class.”
Ann Meredith’s project “Forgotten angels: a matter of honor: women who serve in the military” includes lesbians in the military past and present. Any queer women interested in contributing their stories and/or memorabilia may contact Ann at 510-558-0902 or annpmer@pacbell.net Her work is partly supported by a grant from the Zellerback Family Fund through the North California Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art.
Mary Patten was an organizer for Project Enduring Look in February at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The project looked at culture during wartime, and included performances, installations, video viewings, and other events.
The Leon Polk Smith Scholarship is available to art students at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. Smith (1906-1996) graduated from ECU in the 1930s and later lived and worked in New York City. He worked in a style reminiscent of Mondrian and was active in the civil rights and gay rights movements. Four scholarships are offered and the amount varies with interest rates. For more info on the award, see http://www.ecok.edu/dept/ art/adawards.html
The January newsletter included a listing for the “Unfoling desire, fulfilling desire” exhibition at the Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation in New York (exhibition dates: January 15-March 16). It was the 5th Lesbian Biennial and included these artists: Prinny Alavi, Aicha Amahre, Con Artist, Margaret Cherubin, Mary Pugh Clark, Nicole Folkes, Callie Danae Hirsch, Erica Hyatt, Sue Kutosh, Joan Laufer, Marcelina Martin, Deanna McIntyre, Sonia Melara, Rossella Mocerino, Carol Pelletier, Melanie F. Polos, Rebekah Schiller, Katherine L. Sizeler, Deborah Swanger, Karin Swildens, Di Walsh (Milly Tint), Eva Weiss, and Birgit Zobl.
2002 Lambda Literary Award finalists in photography/visual arts:
WESSEL+O'CONNOR BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
The Wessel + O’Connor Gallery in Manhattan, co-founded by Bill O’Connor and John Wessel in October 1985, ceased holding public exhibitions on January 1, 2002. They will continue to sell artwork (Horst P. Horst, George Platt Lynes, Robert Mapplethorpe, Eadweard Muybridge, Wilhelm von Gloeden, Andy Warhol, Bruce of Los Angeles, and others) by appointment (212-242-8811). Between 1985 and 2001, the gallery presented 104 exhibitions, most of photography, and gave high-profile New York visibility to many gay male and other artists.