January 6 – February 12, 1989
Curatorial Statement: Against Nature: EXHIBITION of performance, video, drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography curated by Dennis Cooper and Richard Hawkins.
In light of the AIDS crisis and in spite of the conservative and oppressive atmosphere present today, the premise of this show and the bold work presented here deserves recognition and attention. While AIDS informs the work in this exhibition it leads us to this information through a less direct, albeit powerful and complex, course. The work is confrontational rather than pedantic. The images and content are difficult and may possibly be disturbing to the general public. LACE sees this show as representative of the complexity of the subject of AIDS and only the beginning of an ongoing discourse on issues of sexuality, oppression, and illness that drastically affect all of our lives today. LACE and organizations like LACE must continue to commit to this effort of recognition and activism.
A group show of work by homosexual men, Against Nature, examines the particular impact of AIDS in the gay community. Artists featured: Nayland Blake, David Bussel, Arch Connelly, Bruno Cuomo, John de Fazio, Arnold Fern, Mike Glass, Doug Ishcar, Larry Johnson, Hudson and Steve Lafreniere, Johnny Pixchure, Carter Potter, Marc Romano, Michael Tidmus, and Kevin Wolff. Curated by Dennis Cooper and Richard Hawkins.
Images: Kevin Wolff, Fourth Position, 1987, Kevin Wolff, Adolescence, 1986, John de Fazio, Boy Venus, 1988, David Bussel, Untitled (Safe/Risky), 1988, Against Nature Exhibition Catalogue. All images courtesy of the artists.
This Interview in Mousse Contemporary Art Magazine with Richard Hawkins and Andrew Durbin explores some of the themes in “Against Nature” as well as numerous artists involved.
