We partnered with the Arts SU again this year to find for a piece of art that celebrates LGBTQIA History Month 2024 in a unique and creative way.
We spoke to the runner up of the competition, Nico, about what inspired his intimate piece ‘Cuddles’ (pictured below) and what his future plans are. Nico is studying for a BA in Fine Art at Camberwell College of Arts and is currently on an Erasmus exchange in Italy.
What inspired your design?
Usually, I only do figurative work when I believe my idea must be immediately understood by the mass. After discussions about experiences of queer interactions and discrimination faced by the community, I decided to do this painting that is simply depicting a cuddle.
How does your artwork encapsulate LGBTQIA+ History Month?
In my painting, I aimed to depict the beauty and intimacy of queer love by portraying a gay couple cuddling, blurring the lines of colour and sex to emphasize the fluidity of love and identity. Against the backdrop of emerging from lockdown and facing discrimination, I wanted to showcase the resilience and strength of the LGBTQIA+ community in seeking connection and love despite societal challenges.
Do you have any LGBTQIA+ icons or artists who inspire you?
There are so many, I wouldn’t know where to start. If I had to choose some of the most important ones: Andy Warhol, Sunil Gupta, Ellsworth Kelly, Mark Aguhar. Queer music has been a big influence as well with Freddie Mercury being an LGBTQIA+ icon that has been a big inspiration for me.
What was your process for creating the design?
I started this painting by browsing photographs online. I found a black and white picture and I decided to recreate the picture using acrylics and introducing colour to the image.
What projects are you working on right now?
Currently, while on an Erasmus exchange in Italy, I’ve been engrossed in a series of paintings delving into queerness as an abstract concept. Drawing from notions of normalcy and acceptance, I’m crafting large-scale mixed media artworks that employ patterns and symbols to explore themes pertinent to the queer community. I’m interrogating ideas around norms, religious acceptance, public versus private spaces, and the fluidity of identity, examining how individuals navigate and present various facets of themselves as they transition between spaces through doors.
Where can we find more of your work?
You can follow me online through my Instagram account: ArtbyNgart, and you can check out more of my artwork on my website: https://ng-art.square.site/
Do you have anything coming up you’d like to share?
I am planning a publication of a book with door photography, as well as a publication with queer poetry and drawings.