Event—Adult Education

Queering Art History: LGBTQ+ Art & Culture in the US from the 1800s-Present

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Explore LGBTQ+ art and activism through this historic survey.

E. Alice Austen, [Violet Ward and a friend at Clear Comfort], ca. 1900. Collection of the Alice Austen House. Source: The Alice Austen House, 2017.38.002.

Class Description

In this course, we'll explore 1) a range of LGBTQ+ art and creative production from different decades, mediums, and contexts, and 2) ways that differently-situated scholars, artists, and community members have thought about queer and trans art as a concept, practice, and intra-community conversation. Using a combination of lecture, discussion, and in-class reflective writing, we'll cover topics like intergenerational connections, historical documentation, intra-community signaling, and art as a tool for LGBTQ+ activism, among others. The goal of this course is to introduce you to a range of LGBTQ+ art and artists who lived and worked across the last two centuries, so prior knowledge of LGBTQ+ history is not necessary, and allies are encouraged to participate!

Molly Fulop (they/she) is an Educational Psychology doctoral student at the University of Illinois Chicago, a Graduate Research Assistant for The LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project, and an emerging art museum educator interested in queer intergenerational collaborative artmaking.

What to Expect

Format: In Person

Class Capacity: 18

Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged

Materials List

No Required Materials

A Brief Syllabus

  1. Connecting LGBTQ+ Generations Through Art
  2. Documenting LGBTQ+ People, Histories, Identities, Culture, and Moments
  3. Visual Communication/Signaling: LGBTQ+ Fashion, Symbols, and Codes
  4. Art as Activism: How LGBTQ+ People Use Art as a Political Tool

Cost and Registration

4 Sessions, $175 ($157.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($175), Community Supported ($160), and Sponsor ($185). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

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