May 26, 2021 Art & Collection As we head into Pride Month, an annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and tribute to those involved in the Stonewall Riots of 1969, Crystal Bridges encourages visitors to learn about the LGBTQ+ artists found in the museum’s collection with the help of a new eMuseum grouping: LGBTQ+ Artists. The artists represented in this collection reflect the varied and diverse individuals that make up the LGBTQ+ community in the United States and beyond. Check out the LGBTQ+ Artists eMuseum collection here. Identity categories relating to gender and sexuality have evolved over the past century (and longer) and remain a fluid subject. Some artists in the early to mid-twentieth century lived marginalized or closeted lives due to social taboos and restrictive laws, yet many found ways to express themselves through their art. Others lived bravely and openly, using their art to promote social justice issues, including AIDS awareness, research, and prevention in the 1980s and ‘90s. Artists working today continue to explore issues of identity, self-expression, intersectionality, and systems of oppression that affect not only LGBTQ+ people, but other marginalized communities as well. Through it all, LGBTQ+ artists create wide-ranging forms of beauty through the power of their artistic expression. Upcoming 2021 Pride Events Crystal Bridges is also celebrating Pride Month with events in June. Learn more and reserve your spot! Dazz & Brie Forest Concert Series: PRIDE Celebration with Dazz & Brie, June 12 Presented in collaboration with NWA Equality, join us for an evening celebrating Pride Month with live music from Little Rock-based rock-and-soul band Dazz & Brie, hosted by Northwest Arkansas Drag Queens. This woman-fronted duo and band combines heavy rock instrumentation with soulful harmonies to create music that transcends all ages. Their sophomore project, Can’t Chase Girls and Your Money Too, combines a blend of acid rock, funk, and country. The band has performed all over the US from Afropunk’s Battle of the Bands in Brooklyn to Los Angeles, so don’t miss their performance at the Forest Concert Series! Get tickets here. Happy Hour Cocktails with the Queens, June 30 Come grab a drink and toast Pride Month at Crystal Bridges! Presented in collaboration with NWA Equality, this spirited evening will be hosted by talented Northwest Arkansas Drag Queens, followed by a special showcase of LGBTQIA+ highlights from the museum collection. This is sure to be a night to remember, so don’t miss your chance to raise a glass and send June off with a flourish. Learn more and reserve your spot for this free event here.
