Queer Nature Exhibition at Kew Gardens Challenges Conventional Notions of the Natural World
Throughout October 2023, Kew Gardens in London presents 'Queer Nature,' an exhibition that reinterprets the concept of 'natural' through a queer perspective within the Temperate House. The showcase includes four distinct installations: 'House of Spirits' by Jeffrey Gibson, the first Indigenous artist to have a solo exhibition at the US Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale, which pays tribute to New York's ball culture and his Choctaw-Cherokee roots; 'Breaking the Binary' by Patrick Featherstone, created with the Kew Youth Forum; 'Queer Voices' by Nathaniel Furman, highlighting British queer history; and 'Reverberations' by LiLi K Bright and Ama Josephine Budge Johnstone, featuring spoken word performances. This initiative aligns with the Frieze art fair and seeks to reclaim the term 'natural' from its homophobic connotations.
Key facts
- Queer Nature exhibition runs throughout October 2023 at Kew Gardens, London.
- The exhibition is located in the Temperate House, a Victorian greenhouse.
- Jeffrey Gibson's 'House of Spirits' is a central installation featuring colored fabric ribbons.
- Gibson is the first Indigenous artist to have a solo show at the US Pavilion during the 2024 Venice Biennale.
- Patrick Featherstone's 'Breaking the Binary' was created with the Kew Youth Forum.
- Nathaniel Furman's 'Queer Voices' includes video interviews with LGBTQ+ scientists and artists.
- LiLi K Bright and Ama Josephine Budge Johnstone's 'Reverberations' consists of spoken word pieces.
- The project coincides with the Frieze art fair in London.
Entities
Artists
- Jeffrey Gibson
- Patrick Featherstone
- Nathaniel Furman
- LiLi K Bright
- Ama Josephine Budge Johnstone
- Derek Jarman
- Oscar Wilde
Institutions
- Kew Gardens
- Kew Youth Forum
- Frieze
- Venice Biennale
- US Pavilion
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- Venice
- Italy