We were delighted and energized by the busy schedule of Queer Caucus events at CAA-Atlanta. More than 40 members and friends gathered at our cocktail reception, which was also a book party for long-serving Caucus member Joe Ansell. Copies of his new monograph on the Polish-Jewish-activist graphic artist Joseph Szyk were on hand for autographing. Congratulations to Joe on a beautiful job of preserving the memory of an artist with a social conscience not so easily found nowadays.
The Caucus-sponsored panel on “Queer exhibitions: an idea whose time has gone?,” which attracted almost 50 people, aired a topic that has been of ongoing concern and relevance to the Caucus for over a year. Thanks to panelists Garth Amundson and Craig Houser, who joined Jim and Jenni for short presentations that led into a lively and instructive audience discussion. The topic had been framed as an opposition between two models of queer art production: the Stonewall identity-politics idea of group solidarity and community institutions, vs. a “post-queer” position that such identities are too unstable and irrelevant to constitute a valid category of cultural discourse or exhibition. But what emerged, encouragingly, was the realization that such a dichotomy is false and misleading: we continue to need both sorts of production, but for different purposes and audiences. As a community, we should continue to nurture work that might otherwise not be seen, or properly understood. At the same time, we need to acknowledge that the mainstream commercial art world has, as Jenni put it, “gone global”: the decline of interest in queer arts coincided with the widening commercialization and globalization of the 1990s, in the wake of which many mega-media have aimed their sights away from minority “niche markets” and toward a broad, if shallow, common denominator. Attracting the attention of the queer community and the international art world are both valuable goals, but they aren’t the same enterprise.
And speaking of response to earth-shaking changes, the most important action at our annual business meeting came up as a spontaneous suggestion in response to various reports that show us struggling with issues of membership, finances, and activities. The newly-formed Committee on the Future of the Caucus is charged with investigating where we are as an organization, and what our future direction(s) should be in light of changing conditions in academia, society, and the queer community since the Caucus was founded in 1989. We’re enormously grateful to the dedicated members who volunteered to participate in this important work of “institutional critique”: Jim Bergesen, Clare Cornell, Noreen Dean Dresser, Tirza True Latimer, and Ally Catherine Wild (and Jim S., who is acting as coordinator). The committee is aiming to prepare a draft statement outlining the current situation, problems, and possible directions by the summer, and will then share it with the membership for comment. If you have any thoughts you want to contribute on these questions, plase contact one of the committee members.
Both the art on the walls and crowd in the halls were striking at Saturday’s gala closing reception for “Committed to Paper,” the Caucus-sponsored art exhibition at Outwrite, the city’s GLBTQ bookstore. Our effusive thanks to Garth Amundson (again), who conceived and spearheaded the whole project. Conversation and sales were lively, and the four-day event, conceived as a fundraiser for the Caucus, was both artistically and economically successful.
Unfortunately, there’s also some less cheerful and more challenging news. We’ve received a report that a well-known Caucus member has been the target of anonymous homophobic emails; it appears that the perpetrator finds victims by googling their names together with a queer-identifying term -- which , of course, leads directly to our own QCA website. It’s the first we’ve heard of someone hunting for out gay people to harass in this insidious electronic fashion. If you’ve heard similar stories, please pass them along.
Jenni & Jim
jennifer.sorkin@yale.edu
james_saslow@qc.edu
The lunchtime panel on “Queer exhibitions: an idea whose time has gone?” and other CAA programs have been blogged. On www.houndstooth.blogspot.com, Jason describes the discussion and several other programs of queer interest. See the entries for February 17, 18, and 22.
Treasurer and membership coordination duties are being transferred from Sallie McCorkle to Susan Aberth. Much thanks to Sallie. The balance in the treasury is dangerously close to zero after considering reception and other conference expenses. [The fundraising/exhibition may net $500 after expenses, per later reports.] Jean Sirius did some preliminary work on a directory last summer though the data is not now current. It is suggested that a PDF file be available for a limited period of time: no links to the file, people could print it out as appropriate; those who have not indicated their choice about being included would not be in the directory. Since Jean will be out of town after March, Susan and Sherman will proceed with preparing the PDF file as soon as membership information is transferred and confirmed with information that has been sent recently to Susan.
Newsletter editors Tee Corinne and Sherman Clarke are content with the status quo. [Since conference, we have received an offer from Haworth Press to print newsletters in exchange for two pages of advertisements; the officers are considering the offer.]
Following this business, a discussion of the mission and future of the Caucus ensued. We have done some good panels and exhibitions, and many panels include papers with significant queer content; nonetheless, we have not penetrated the political process in CAA or the larger context. For example, we are not in the art history survey texts, we are not in the exhibition labels and catalogs, estates and archives are still unavailable if queer intent is suspected. [See call for participation for 2006 lunchtime session which follows these minutes.] Our affiliation with CAA provides an umbrella for legal matters, but also precludes significant participation by those who are not CAA members and conference attendees. A committee was appointed to prepare a report on future goals, functions, and tactics of the caucus and its members. Discussion included a variety of issues, e.g. graying of our membership; artist and art historian; gender balance within caucus; letters to editors and publishers; organizational presence within CAA; alliances with Radical Art Caucus, Visual Studies Caucus, etc.; keeping each other informed about issues, via list or others means. [See co-chairs letter.]
Minutes compiled by
Sherman Clarke
Secretary