Queer Art (Art Essentials)

A concise, accessible and global overview of modern and contemporary queer art, co-written by notable curators in the field.



Queer narratives have long been overlooked – or actively erased – by art history. In recent years this has begun to shift, with a more intentional effort to apply a queer lens to the visual arts. Queer Art expands this conversation, recognizing queerness not as a genre but as a gesture – defined by resistance to convention.



Spanning generations and geographies, Queer Art paints a rich picture of LGBTQIA+ visual culture, interrogating reductive views that equate queerness with homoeroticism and proven identity. Four thematic chapters explore key concerns – selfhood, liberation, resilience and the future – as expressed in the work of artists such as David Hockney, Hélio Oiticica, Catherine Opie, Lotte Laserstein, Xiyadie and others. The result is a vital and expansive vision of queer artistry and aesthetics.