Queer Ancestor Spotlight: David Spada
How many of you are familiar with “Freedom Rings”? They are a set of six aluminum rings, each one a different color of the rainbow, and could be worn as rings, earrings, or necklaces. They were by New York artist David Spada in the early 1990’s and became a recognizable symbol of LGBTQ+ pride in the late 20th century.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Paul Cadmus
Paul Cadmus was born in Manhattan, NY on December 17, 1904. He would would go on to become a widely known American artist known for his gritty egg tempera paintings. He was inspired by social interactions he observed in his urban life. He included elements of eroticism and social commentary in a style often referred to as “magical realism,” and his career was launched when the Navy attempted to censor one of his paintings due to its “gay gaze.”