A
few members of the workshop during a break.
|
Inspired by a proposal by Workshop artist Leonard Todd, The Queer Men's
Erotic Art Workshop has enthusiastically embraced the idea of creating
a "living archive" of erotic work created by the workshop's
more than 60 participants.
"Because we feel that the Workshop is important both artistically
and historically, we are proposing that a collection be established
to preserve examples of art created during the workshop's two weekly
sessions," says Todd, who has been a regular participant since
the Spring of 2001. "As Workshop artists, we can each help form
this record by donating one drawing or painting each year."
The new collection, to be known as the Workshop Collection, will be
presented to the Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation each year at the time
of the annual Workshop exhibition, the next of which will open on September
9th.
"We've been very pleased to be able to host the Workshop over the
past two years," says Charles Leslie, who with Fritz Lohman founded
the Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation's gallery in 1969. "Creating
this new collection as an integral part of the Foundation's over 2,000
piece archive of gay art will provide a living archive of new gay erotic
work like none anywhere else in the world."
"The new Workshop Collection is a tangible expression of our gratitude
to the Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation for its supportive role in hosting
the Workshop in its gallery space," adds Workshop founder Harvey
Redding. "During the past two years we've created literally thousands
of drawings, paintings and collages in the Gallery's congenial environment.
The new Workshop Collection will help us to contribute to the Foundation
as well."
Work to be included in each year's donation will be selected by the
curatorial committee of the Workshop's annual exhibition.
|