 | Sunday, February 27, 2022 | |  | Sunday, February 27, 2022 | | Hi, art lovers! | | | I hope you like lists because this is definitely the biggest one we’ve ever published. In a marathon of blurbs that began this past Thursday, CBC Arts producer Peter Knegt is ranking the 200 most iconic queers in cultural history, and he’s taking the next few weeks to complete the task. What’s it all about, and what in the name of Gritty is CBC Arts doing devoting an entire month to a multi-volume listicle? Well, last week was the 200th edition of Peter’s weekly column, Queeries, and this is how he’s marking the occasion. I’ll let him explain.
Begin transmission:
What began as a love letter to Tegan and Sara in October 2017 has now resulted in roughly 250,000 occasionally thoughtful words to offer you, the reader, week after week. I'm fairly certain the most overused word among these (and certainly in queer culture as a whole) has been "iconic." And I promise to retire it forever if you allow it one final most grandiose use: to count down the 200 most iconic queers in the history of culture.
Yes, the entire history of culture. And I don't just mean queer people either. Literary characters, animals, professional sports mascots, robots: they are all fair game.
The list will be many things: subjective, excessive and absolutely an homage to how two iconic queers much more talented than myself celebrated their own 200th edition. It is not intended to be taken particularly seriously, though I do stand by its ranking. And I hope those of you with the endurance to consume it have as much fun doing so as I did putting it together. — Peter Knegt, CBC Arts producer
| | | And because we promised you eye candy ... | | |  | @krista.kim/Instagram | With Ukraine under attack, it’s been a disturbing news week. Here, a “message of peace” from Krista Kim. (Continuum, a work by the Canadian artist, will be appearing in New York’s Times Square to Monday.) | | | | |  | © Judy Chicago/Artist Rights Society, NY (courtesy Through the Flower Archives, the artist; Salon 94, NY; and Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco) | | The Toronto Biennial of Art opens March 26, and its schedule of free public programs was just announced. Earlier this year, organizers revealed that Judy Chicago will be among this year’s notable participants. She’ll be creating a new work on the banks of Lake Ontario in June — an extension of her long-running photo series, Atmospheres. | | | | |  | @tristramlansdowne/Instagram | | Tristram Lansdowne is another Canadian artist appearing in that London gallery show I just mentioned, but this particular drawing (!!!) is up at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery right now. At the far edge of worlds is on to May 29. | | | | |  | @GrittyNHL/Twitter | | | | | Drum roll please. The most iconic queers in cultural history are … | | | | |  | House of Anansi | | | | | After a pandemic-related pause, Manif d’art is back with a program inspired by the post-truth era. | | | | |  | CBC | | | | | | | Now streaming on CBC Gem, The Porter is a period drama about Black Canadian ambition. According to Amanda Parris, that’s just one reason the show’s a revelation. | | |  | @maskulllasserre/Instagram | | Previously seen on CBC Arts (here and here and here), some of Maskull’s work is appearing in Quebec City right now as part of Manif d’art. But this photo was taken in Toronto, and if you want a closer look at what’s going on with this piece (Eternal Return), then definitely head to his Instagram for pics that’ll let you zoom in on some of the details. Or better yet, book a time to view it in person at the BMO Project Room. It’ll be there through November. | | | | | Share this newsletter | | or subscribe if this was
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I’m Leah Collins, senior writer at CBC Arts. Until next time! | | | | | |
