An art exhibition that questions Pride
Image: "What do I mean" by Guy James Whitworth. Image: supplied
“Before a fall” is the second part of a common axiom warning of the dangers of too much pride; it is also the title of the eighth solo art exhibition by Guy James Whitworth.Highly regarded as an artist and writer in LGBTQI+ community – and the broader arts community – Whitworth often imbues his work with messages and queries – invitations to let his artworks be the start of a conversation.
In “Before A Fall”, Whitworth both celebrates and interrogates the politics and environmental considerations of queerness and the modern world.
“I love that we have Mardi Gras and World Pride but I’d love it even more if we also had World Compassion and World Kindness festivals,” says Whitworth. “We need to end discrimination in all its forms and if that’s made possible by bringing everyone together on a dance floor for a giant group hug, count me in!
“There are certainly so many positives to having a World Pride, but as the title of this exhibition suggests the show is about reminding us all not to lose track of what else is currently happening in the world. Experts now believe we’re in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, we can’t just party-away scientific concerns about that! Along with banishing homophobia lets also compassionately embrace environmental awareness and activism!”
Whitworth’s artistic style is bold and engaging. With pastel landscape backgrounds and central, emphatic subject, it is reminiscent of Japanese woodblock. His more recent work ventures into neo-classical, abstract landscapes.
