Steve Locke reflects on Robert Gober's MoMA exhibition and its deep ties to AIDS, mourning, and queer experience.

Steve Locke experienced a profound emotional reaction to Robert Gober's exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, shedding tears despite his prior acquaintance with the artist's work. His first exposure to Gober's installations occurred at Dia in 1993. The reimagined pieces at MoMA resonate with the significant loss of life due to AIDS. Gober's sculptures—such as sinks, drains, and donuts—serve as poignant witnesses, lacking Duchamp's humor. Locke likens Gober's expression of grief to Picasso's Guernica, which also reflects on September 11th. Queer imagery facilitates identification, while sinks and drains represent the vanishing of queer male identities. The exhibition begins and concludes with Gober's paintings, unveiling layers of history, culminating in a final piece inspired by R.B. Kitaj that evokes a sense of intimacy and shame.