New CCS Exhibit Explores LGBTQ+ Perspectives

Desire as Politics reflects on a range of identities, social constraints, and prejudices unique to the community
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Rashaad Newsome, Stop Playing In My Face, 2016 // Courtesy of the Valade Family Gallery, College for Creative Studies (CCS)

As diverse as it is beautiful, the new Desire as Politics exhibit at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) will invite visitors to explore acceptance, raw beauty, and fear. The exhibit features multiple issues unique to the LGBTQ+ community and reflects on its history, as well as its progress.

The goal behind this new exhibit is to reach audiences who may not fully understand the adversities faced by members of the community. By casting a spotlight on the underrepresented voices, it aims to raise awareness and provoke thought.

Through a collection of films and videos, the exhibition showcases some of the community’s harshest struggles, stripped down into visual form. The exhibition covers a variety of perspectives, including sexual and gender identities.

Some of the features at the CCS event include Ira Sachs’ portrait film “Lady,” which features a redhead whose gender identity is left to be ambiguous to the viewer.

“I hope it raises a lot of questions,” says Curator Scott Northrup. “[There is] a lot of room for the viewer to find their place [in the feature].”

Other pieces include the 11-minute visual “Tomorrow Everything Will Be Alright,” which depicts an intimate, typed conversation between two men separated, but still in love. This, along with the other pieces on display, depict the hardships of love that can be present and unique to the LGBTQ+ community.

The short video, “His Sweat,” is another short, but moving piece on how sweat can represent love and desire. Northrup says, “It’s intimate, but very open. It felt really fresh to me and I think it speaks to [the] contemporary youth culture.”

Desire as Politics will be on display until March 10. Valade Family Gallery, 460 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; collegeforcreativestudies.edu