Frank Moore's 'Toxic Beauty' Exhibition and Catalogue at Grey Art Gallery
From September 6 to December 8, 2012, NYU's Grey Art Gallery hosted 'Frank Moore: Toxic Beauty,' marking the largest exhibition of the artist's creations following his passing due to AIDS complications. The illustrated catalogue, curated by Lynn Gumpert, contained essays by Klaus Kertess, Susan Harris, and Gregg Bordowitz, along with Moore's writings and art reproductions. A Yale alumnus, Moore transitioned from abstraction to representation in the early 1980s, delving into topics such as gender, sexuality, and identity. Noteworthy pieces include 'Venus,' while 'Emigrants' was notably absent from the exhibition, and Bordowitz's critique did not draw parallels with Jasper Johns. Moore's background features early group exhibitions and a partnership with choreographer Jim Self.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Frank Moore: Toxic Beauty' ran from September 6 to December 8, 2012 at Grey Art Gallery, New York University
- Frank Moore died from AIDS complications ten years before the exhibition
- Accompanying catalogue edited by Lynn Gumpert includes essays by Klaus Kertess, Susan Harris, and Gregg Bordowitz
- Moore shifted from abstraction to representation in the early 1980s for narrative purposes
- Gregg Bordowitz's essay 'Battle Lines' contextualizes Moore's work in 1980s New York socio-politics
- Moore's 1997 painting 'Emigrants' is discussed but not displayed in the exhibition
- Moore's work influenced by surrealism and American surrealist Paul Cadmus
- Moore's 1993 work 'Venus' portrays drag queen Lady Bunny as a mermaid with explicit imagery
Entities
Artists
- Frank Moore
- Lynn Gumpert
- Klaus Kertess
- Susan Harris
- Gregg Bordowitz
- Paul Cadmus
- Jasper Johns
- Kara Walker
- Mathew Barney
- Lady Bunny
- Jim Self
Institutions
- Grey Art Gallery
- New York University
- Cité Internationale des Arts
- Yale
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Paris
- France
- New York