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Wall Panel:

This exhibit will explore lesbian artists and how they present themselves and their sexual identity through art. As someone who identifies as a lesbian, this topic is very close to my heart. The current political climate, especially in America, is very tumultuous for the LGBTQ+ community. We are being shunned, pushed out, and discriminated against. With this happening in the present climate, this exhibit explores the ways that queer women of the past have viewed themselves, their lifestyles, and their passions through their artwork. Throughout history, many have viewed two women being depicted together as an “erotic male fantasy”. Patriarchal society has found ways to turn art depicting sapphic women into sexual pieces for the male gaze. However, lesbian art can and should be for representing queer women, not for their male counterparts. It should represent themselves, their identity, and pieces of their lives that connect them closer to themselves.

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Throughout history, one of the best subjects of art has been the artist's lovers. Women who love women are no different. For centuries, they have depicted their lovers through various forms of art, whether photographs, sculptures, or paintings. The following pieces exhibit women who were loved by women.

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Anne Seymour Damer, Elizabeth née Farren, Countess of Derby, England, 1788, marble, [National Portrait Gallery, UK]

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Anne Seymour Damer portrays one of her love interests, Elizabeth née Farrne, as Thalia, the Greek muse of comedy. The sculpture is made of white marble and has the engraving of “Thalia” at the base. Anne Seymour Damer was one of the few female sculptors at the time, as it was uncommon for women to sculpt in 1788. Damer, while married to a man for 7 years for public purposes, was known to sculpt many of her female love interests. She was deemed a “Sapphist” and was ridiculed for not being more caring after her husband died in 1776.

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Louise Abbéma, Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt, France, 1880, oil on canvas, [Unknown]

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Louise Abbéma encapsulates one of her speculated love interests, Sarah Bernhardt, in this oil on canvas painting.  Bernhardt is looking away from the viewer, wearing a soft white gown and bright pink lipstick. Her gaze is up into the sky. Abbéma is a French artist who is rumored to have identified as a lesbian, as she never married in her life. She frequently painted herself and others in androgynous style clothing, going against the stereotype for women during this period.

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Wall Text: Scenes Created by Queer Women

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Wall Text: Scenes Created by Queer Women

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Many queer women dedicated their livelihoods to portraying art scenes that defy what was typical for women of the time. From animals to gender-bending, the following pieces exhibit scenes depicted by queer women.

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Rosa Bonheur, The Horse Fair, France, 1852-1855, oil on canvas, [The Met, USA]

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Rosa Bonheur depicts the horse market in Paris, France. The scene is lined with trees and shows riders and handlers holding onto wild, moving horses. You can see the depth of their muscles and wildly flying manes within the image. People are seen in the distance, overlooking the scene. Bonheur is a well-renowned painter of animals. She often wore pants when studying and painting animals, which went against the social norm for women at the time.

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Marie Høeg, Marie Høeg & Bolette Berg in the Boat, Norway, 1895-1903, photograph,  [Preus Museum, Norway]

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Norwegian photographer Marie Høeg is depicted with her sister, smoking in a rowboat. Her sister is wearing typical women’s attire and smoking while Høeg is wearing more masculine clothes and also smoking. The photo is in taken in an art studio, mimicking being in nature. Høeg and her lifelong romantic partner Bolette Berg are now known for their gender-defying photographs. They are often depicted wearing men’s clothing and smoking, both of which were considered off-limits for women at the time.

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Claude Cahun, I am in Training Don't Kiss Me, France, 1927, photography, [Unknown] 

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A small figure sits on a stool wearing a bodysuit with the words “I’m training, Don’t Kiss Me” written across the front. On each cheek is a painted heart, and in their hands is a barbell. They stare directly into the camera, a small pout on their lips. Claude Cahun excelled in creating gender-defying photographs. Often, the subjects were seen in ornate costumes, shielding their true selves from the viewer. As someone who turned away from using their birth name, the costumes may show that their appearance on the outside is not who they are; they are what is on the inside.

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Louise Breslau, La Toilette, Germany, 1898, oil on canvas [California]

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Breslau paints a woman in a flowing blue dressing gown, looking past herself in a mirror. She appears to be getting ready for the day, putting her hair in a simple updo, and her hairbrush and other important items are sitting in front of her. She hovers over a soft blue chair. The painting has almost a light touch, and the colors are soft pastels. The painting shows deep intimacy and celebrates femininity.