Regular readers of QUEERGURU will know that we are major fans of Alex Guerra part owner of Hotel Gaythering in Miami Beach and visionary creator of ART GAYSEL. Guerra, also an artist, is a passionate promoter of queer art from both up-and-coming and established queer artists around the globe.
The Miami Beach event runs at the same time as the world’s biggest contemporary art show ART BASEL also in Miami where queer artists are simply overwhelmed by the vast booths of art from every corner of the globe. The altruistic Guerra recognized the need for providing a showcase for queer artists so he dug deep into his pockets to create this amazing showcase which has been a major success since he started it in 2019.
By 2021 Guerra had established himself as a part-time resident of Provincetown which has always been a home for artists. So he invited a handful of them down to Miami to participate in Art Gaysel. The small group included a solitary gay woman Melissa Wilkinson whose work Guerre had spotted tucked away in the back of a PTown Gallery. It turned about to be a very lucky turn of events as Wilkinson was the only one in that edition of Art Gaysel who sold every single piece of her work.
Fast forward to this summer, and back in her original PTown Gallery …..On Center …. Wilkinson is about to launch her latest show “Fata Morgan“. During this event, Wilskson will give a gallery talk that will focus on her ideas relating to portraiture and gender performance. Sourcing her imagery from the Hollywood golden age, her hybrid portraits break conventional notions of both beauty and binary presentations by fracturing what the viewer knows as familiar. These meticulously crafted watercolor paintings are both surprising and oddly surreal. She will speak about the conception, planning, and painting process. Q & A to follow.
The Show will open on Friday, June 2, 7-9PM, with Wilkinson in attendance….. but we can give you a sneak preview of some of our favorite pieces that will be exhibited
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https://oncentergallery.com/artist/melissa-wilkinson Artist talk, Saturday, June 3 at 11:00On Center Gallery 352 Commercial Street, Provincetown MA 02657
P. S. You may also like to check out this interview Queerguru had with Melissa Wilkinson when we first met back in 2019 CLICK HERE
Labels: 2023, Alex Guerra, artist, Ary Gaysel, Melissa Wilkinson, On Center Gallery, Provincetown
