Queer Networks
Jerri Allyn, Documentation of Laughing Souls/Espíritus Sonrientes, LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions), 1979. Courtesy of Jerri Allyn
Queer Networks is an exploration of artistic visions that sustain, invigorate, and commemorate chosen families. From subculture and punk scenes to the reinvention of domesticity and the imperative to amplify the voices of those we have lost, this Initiative is dedicated to envisioning and manifesting new worlds. It currently draws inspiration from artist "Mundo" Meza (1955-1985) and the artworks featured in Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A., which deepen our understanding of how art movements, cultural communities, and queer aesthetics and practices mutually reinforce each other. The initiative also builds upon ICI's extensive history of supporting timely curatorial projects that shed light on the pressing need for institutions to assist LGBTQ+ communities, from the HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 1980s and 90s to the ongoing suppression of queer voices worldwide. In moments of grief and ecstatic joy, Queer Networks contemplate the boundless possibilities that emerge when we unite.
