Pink for Homosexuals
Pink for Homosexuals (2010) is a mixed media painting on board that reflects on the persecution of gay men during the Holocaust and the way queer representation is often framed in contemporary media. Inspired by The Men With The Pink Triangle, a memoir detailing the experiences of queer prisoners in Nazi concentration camps, the work takes the pink triangle—a symbol of oppression later reclaimed by LGBTQ+ activists—as its central visual reference.
I collaged enlarged photocopies of pages from the book onto the surface, only to obscure them beneath layers of pink paint, glitter, and beads. This layering serves as a dual commentary: first, on the historical erasure of queer suffering, and second, on how mainstream narratives often celebrate LGBTQ+ identity when it is flamboyant and decorative, yet shy away from acknowledging the darker realities of persecution. The embellishments act as both a mask and a lure—drawing the viewer in with their seductive surface while concealing the painful truth beneath.
In 2019, I returned to this concept, creating a series of small-scale canvases in a similar manner. Nearly a decade later, the themes of Pink for Homosexuals remained as relevant as ever, reflecting how historical persecution continues to echo in the present, both in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and in the ways queer identity is portrayed—and sometimes distorted—in the public eye.