In honor of Pride month, gallery.sort.of is delighted to present The Gaze of Longing, an exhibition that serves as a tribute to the LGBTQ+ community. This captivating showcase highlights the talent of ten emerging queer artists who come from diverse backgrounds and possess unique styles and aesthetics.
Curated by JT Gonzales, this carefully curated collection represents the wide range of queer artistic expression. Among the featured artists are Justin Abrigado, whose delicate sketches capture attention, Deej Amago, known for his provocative bear-themed artwork, Paolo Dumlao, whose conceptual photography intrigues with its air of mystery, Mark Espuerta, a Bacolod-based artist renowned for his masculine torsos, Jasper Gomez, who mesmerizes with his dreamy watercolor creations, Mark Hernandez from Laguna, whose impressionist figurations captivate, Mark Tisado, whose emotive renderings strike a chord, Anton Villarreal, who draws inspiration from plants to create unique assemblages, Mark Weigh, whose pop-cartoon characters exude charisma, and Gelo Zarsuelo from Aklan, who showcases his spray-painted hunks.
Just as there is pride in embracing one's identity, this exhibition also celebrates the pride associated with one's deepest desires. The artists explore the concept of the "gay gaze," fearlessly examining the sensuality of queer individuals through their artwork.
You can find the gallery located at 37 Camaro St., Fairview Park, Quezon City. The exhibition will run from June 10 to July 1, 2023, and viewings will be available on Thursdays to Saturdays, from 2-7pm.
For more information, please reach out to us on Instagram at gallery.sort.of or contact us at 0917 3214207.
The Gaze of Longing
JT Gonzales
Admittedly, it was with some trepidation that this topic was broached. It was mulled over. Reflected on. And finally, approved.
We know the “male gaze.” A concept much vilified for its objectification of women. That flat, inscrutable look. A look of many meanings and interpretations. A look that, often, boils down to naked desire. What then the justification for the gay gaze to turn its own hungry, grasping stare at the object of its “affection?”
It makes a lot of men uncomfortable. The side glances. The frank, appraising look. The staring. The pure, unalloyed want.
But that stare is triggered by many things not necessarily sexual. The undulation of muscles underneath a dress shirt. Jutting bones, a bared instep. The nape of a neck so smooth, it could rival any woman’s. Bristly chest hair peeking out from a tee. Yes, even an unconsciously confident swagger, the pitch and roll of a cocky gait. Desire.
Perhaps, uncomfortable to some. To many. But desire is integral to existence. Why then, the shame?
We asked a few queer artists to reveal their pleasure points. What stimulates them? What, in the universe of physicality, specifically turns them on?
It’s Pride month in some places. And we choose to celebrate Pride this way. By an unapologetic admission of desire. A celebration of want. A feast of longing. Of seeing what we cannot have. And manifesting it.
We look. And maybe, we can touch.
