Author | Meg Ten Eyck
Featured image by Gabriel Martinez
Instagram is a playground for the visually inclined. It is also a fantastic place to discover new artists and get connected to the contemporary art world. Below are six (6) artists that I think are doing really cool work, and who are kind enough to share with us via this vibrant social media platform. Please note these artists are numbered, but not ranked.
(1) Paul Richmond is an artist based in Ohio who challenges modern notions of masculinity through his series “War Paint.” His instagram profile @paulyworld give us a view of his art as well as his personal life. In a combination of selfies, paintings, and personal musings, Paul lets us in on his colorful world.
(2) Mathu Andersen, @mathu7, may be the queen of genderfucked aesthetic. He is the creative director for Rupaul’s Drag Race and the personal stylist to Ms. Ru herself. His instagram is filled with gender bending self-portraits and hauntingly beautiful images of the world through the lens of Mr. Andersen.
(3) Sophia Wallace is a conceptual artist specializing in photography and mixed media. If you’re active in the world of Tumblr you’ve probably seen her work. Her instagram feed @sophiaaaaawallace is filled with social commentary on gender, female masculinity, and non heteronormative desire.
(4) Robin Roemer is a lifestyle and portrait photographer best known for her work photographing queer events and celebrities for Autostraddle. Her instagram @robinshoots features an intimate behind the scenes look of the intersection of work and life.
(5) Natasha Gornik is a Brooklyn based photographer who has been featured in the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Arts in New York City. Her work, much of which is displayed on @ntgornick, focuses on fringe culture and sexuality. Her portraits are equal parts haunting and alluring – they seem to leap off the screen and make you ponder the context of the shot.
(6) Gabriel Martinez is a Cuban-American artist who works with photography, performance, and installation. His recent work with the Institute of Contemporary Art at University of Pennsylvania recreated the experiences via Instagram of queer people coming out in 1980’s Philadelphia. He took over @ICAPhiladelphia’s instagram account for two weeks in March. The result was an echo of the past juxtaposed with the new age of social media using images of Philly’s ‘Gayborhood’ and news clippings from the archives at Philadelphia Gay News.
Are you following an amazing artist on Instagram, Tumblr, or in life? Shoot us an email at [email protected] with your recommendation!
Meg Ten Eyck is a former LGBT rights activist, currently living in South Korea and traveling the world with her partner Lindsay. They write about their experiences as a queer couple on their blog Dopes on the Road and post their travel photos on Instagram @dopesontheroad.
