Kurt Bettencourt
Abstract
The LGBTQ+ community has created their own spaces beyond just a physical capacity. In effort to cater to a society that historically rejected them, queer artists, designers, writers, and politicians used their abilities to craft a community. The visual culture derived from this functioned to inspire a shared experience and unite in a way that continues to organize change. Opportunities to teach LGBTQ+ art and history are met with controversy when presenting it to a public setting or often overlooked when writing curriculum. As a result, history is not being taught to include representation of all people. This only allows the LGBTQ+ artists, activists, designers, and history to be forgotten. I want to explore how these artists produced work from the events. This would allow more people to understand how and why it influences works created right now.
Thesis Advisors
Earl Gee: SJSU Graphic Design Professor
Connie Hwang: SJSU Graphic Design Professor
Ken Yeager: SJSU Political Science Faculty
Research Questions
1. Where did lgbt signifiers arise from and what did the need for these signifiers originate from?
2. What visual media and formats helped bring the LGBT community together?
3. How has the visual language evolved over time and how will it be used in the future?
Outcome
Design and the LGBTQ+ community have had a close partnership. Design was used to create an identity, pay tribute, and push for change. Another Angle follows recent changes in LGBTQ+ visual culture. The exhibit shows how evolving social and political issues influence messaging, look and feel of queer art. Telling the story of why these artifacts came to life highlights the art, artists, and their history. Another Angle shows the variety of LGBT design pieces from symbols, flags, video games, logos, and more. Another Angle functions as an experience to inspire and educate about queer design. Presenting the information in an interesting and clear way was important to the overall project. Giving a home to artifacts the tell the stories of queer experiences, struggles and expressions is something to be celebrated. Another Angle is a reminder to everyone that design is for everyone.
