QKE: A City-Wide Collaboration Celebrates Diversity Through Queer Art

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Not since the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center closed in 2015 has queer art been part of the city’s celebration of Pride Month. Now, thanks to Washington state transplant, queer activist Andrew Whitver, a citywide queer art show with nearly two dozen galleries and art institutions participating, officially opened June 9-11.

Whitver moved from Spokane to Milwaukee in June of 2022. While the month was busy with PrideFest, the Pride Parade, Ride with Pride and other related events, Whitver noticed the conspicuous absence of any LGBTQ dedicated art exhibits. The creator of the Queer Art Walks in Spokane and in Seattle, that particular void stood out. Naturally, Whitver decided to do something about it. 

As fate would have it, he met Michael Lagerman, a Milwaukee educator and artist who also co-directs Underscore, an artist-run project space emphasizing risk taking and experimentation in queer art. Lagerman is also half of FxG Church, a charitable club night for queer prosperity.

The duo’s fortuitous meeting resulted in the production of a queer art event that would be dubbed QKE. Its mission is to provide a platform to amplify queer art visibility during Pride Month. Lagerman’s familiarity with the local arts scene helped the pair seek out participants among Cream City’s galleries and art organizations. However, what may have seemed a daunting task at the outset turned into an overwhelming cascade of willing participants. “The response exceeded our expectations,” says Whitver, adding, “few declined and most were honored to be asked.”

Grassroots Roster

Indeed, over the months ever more spaces joined the roster, at last count expanding to over 20. They range from major institutions to smaller, local galleries (some long established and others newer), the vast majority of which are straight. Uniquely, the event has no corporate or wealthy sponsors and, as Whitver notes, “It has been very democratic. Each participating organization curated their own shows without any of our influence other than the artist showing had to identify in the LGBTQ spectrum.”

Included are the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design showcasing 16 artists ranging from photography to video and from sculpture to painting and the Green Gallery exhibiting works by Ugo Rondinone. Milwaukee Art Museum’s QKE contribution features photos by trans artist Martine Gutierrez. The Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) is participating in conjunction with Moody and Lilliput Records acting as a hub putting on a “Queer Zine” show with a zine making demonstration. Portrait Society Gallery presents “Too Much Love,” Virginia Rae Ahrens’ erotic drawings of women from the 1930s. Real Tinsel features a trans curator from Washington State and The Alice Wilds “Be Gay, Do Crime” theme includes an exhibit of Nude Males from 1940-Present. Other participating entities are Tory Folliard, Underscore, Var Gallery, Woodland Pattern Book Center, Aquae Nguvu, Charles Allis Art Museum, Haggerty Museum of Art, Hawthorn Contemporary, Microlights, gener8tor in its new space at Sherman Phoenix, Milwaukee LGBT Community Center and the Museum of Wisconsin Art-Downtown in St. Kate-The Arts Hotel.

Various factors may be at play to explain the city’s enthusiastic embrace of queer art. “I don’t think we’d get the same response if we went to another city and did this,” Whitver says, acknowledging the city’s queer friendly reputation (it consistently garners 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index) and its decades long history of LGBTQ art in various iterations. Included in that narrative are major art institutions like the Milwaukee Art Museum. It is not the first time MAM has collaborated with Cream City’s queer community. In 2008, it invited guest docents from the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center to give tours of MAM’s special exhibit of works by British gay art duality, Gilbert and George (they’ve just opened a London museum dedicated to themselves, by the way). Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s concentrated urban area allows it to hold an event of such a dimension in which nearly two dozen venues can simultaneously participate throughout the city from Mitchell Street on the South Side to Downtown and Riverwest. 

Officially, QKE runs June 9-11. However, programming spans the month of June with some shows already in progress while some open on the launch date and continue beyond Pride Month. All will be open and participating on the QKE’s launch weekend, many with an opening reception.

Open Boundaries

But what is queer art? According to Whitver and Lagerman, QKE uses the term queer to signify the limitless range of identities represented in the Trans, Lesbian, Gay, Bi and all other communities experiencing sexual marginalization. QKE intends for queer to be comprehensive and open, acknowledging the nuances of individual identity and experience within a larger, inclusive network. They cite the curator and critic, Vince Aletti: “Queer resists boundaries and refuses to be narrowly defined.” In short, Whitver adds, “QKE is organizing the arts to show that Pride means more than just rainbows. We need to remain visible. The artists are brave in these times.”

In fact, given the current white supremacist Evangelical crusade against the LGBTQ community, QKE, beyond queer visibility, is also a timely expression of solidarity. “This is activism,” say Whitver and Lagerman. Reflecting on its resilience, Lagerman adds, “There isn’t a time in history when the queer community went away. I hope QKE inspires activism,” noting that the event itself “activates art spaces to stand up.” Even the QKE logo is a protest.” It’s very intentional,” says Lagerman, “The logo is designed by youth.”

Asked what galleries warrant a “must see” recommendation Whitver simply replied, “All of the above.”     

Further information may be found at the QKE website at qke.info.