The work of a queer Latino artist from Philadelphia will anchor a community discussion next week about the intersection of race, sexuality and other issues.
“En Blanco y Negro: Gay & Boricua” opens June 12 at Taller Puertorriqueño and will be on display through July 25. The exhibit, which features the work of Philadelphia-born José Luis Cortés, is the result of a partnership between Taller and GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Agency. It is also part of the city’s 50th-anniversary celebration of the Annual Reminders, one of the nation’s earliest LGBT-rights demonstrations, which took place at Independence Hall.
Cortés, a painter and performance artist, will lead a panel discussion at 3 p.m. June 20 at Taller, 2721 N. Fifth St., with community leaders and activists.
Cortés’ art has an LGBT focus, often depicting under-addressed issues like addiction or sex work in the community.
GALAEI youth sexual-health coordinator Fran Zavala said Cortés’ work was a natural fit when his organization and Taller began brainstorming for a joint art venture.
“[GALAEI executive director] Elicia [Gonzales], myself and other folks at GALAEI and Taller Puertorriqueño were talking about how we can incorporate artwork into the activism work we’re both doing, and we wanted to focus on a community member whose artwork has really had an impact, so that’s how Cortés’ name came up,” Zavala explained. “A lot of the work he does captures scenes of queer life through his own perspective using both art and activism, which is very aligned with our mission. We thought we could collaborate on this, bring the artist along and have him do a presentation and that would really have a lot of benefit for our communities.”
The panel discussion will include Cortés, Gonzales, artist Erika Guadalupe Núñes, GALAEI youth member Emmanuel Coreano, trans youth Bella and Louis Ortiz of The Gran Varones Project. The event will be moderated by GALAEI founder and Casa de Duende artistic director David Acosta.
“We’re going to look at a lot of different perspectives about our community’s past, current and future directions,” Zavala said, noting the discussion will center on the intersectionality of homophobia, invisibility, migration, race, class, gender, HIV/AIDS, the LGBT structures in the United States and Puerto Rico and more.
Cortés will also conduct a one-week, intensive residency with youth from GALAEI and Taller.
“The youth will get to meet him and learn one on one from him,” Zavala said.
The exhibit and panel, he added, are relevant to broad cross-sections of the community.
“The panel is full of people of all walks of life: artists, youth organizers, activists. They’ll all bring different perspectives that anyone can relate to, and likely will relate to more than one. And it’s a great opportunity to see the beautiful artwork as well.”
There will be an opening reception for “En Blanco y Negro” from 5:30-8 p.m. June 12 at Taller.