Q. What is a Lesbian?
A. A lesbian is a female who is exclusively emotionally sexually, and romantically attracted to other females. Being lesbian defines your sexual orientation which includes a psychological component, which is your erotic desire; as well as a behavioral component, which focuses on the sex of your partner
Q. What is Lesbian Art?
A. This is art which contains some form of lesbian content, or can be read to have symbolic lesbian meaning. Whether it be a literal depiction of two women romantically engaged or an image of something seemingly insignificant, it is largely what is meant by the artist that matters. Similarly the reading of an artwork could be lesbianised if the content of the piece had meaning to the (lesbian) reader.
Q. Is there a history of Lesbian Art?
A. Until the early 1970's, there was no body of work that could be called ‘Lesbian Art'. Images of lesbians by lesbians remained almost completely absent from the history of western art. Fortunately the Feminist and Women's Movements arrived this past century to give rise to a re-evaluation of female autonomy and authorship over images of themselves. Feminists have allowed women to express the female experience and have tried to reclaim the female body from its construction of a passive object of male desire into one that has an active voice. Within the three waves of Feminism, Lesbians have created art which was vital to their political agendas as well as it was to them as individuals. A rather more important question is that if there is lesbian art, why isn't it well known?
Q. Why should it matter that the artist is a lesbian?
A. Her experience of being a woman and being with a woman is something a man could never experience. She should have the right to have authorship over images of her own experiences and not be shown what they are like by an outsider.
Q. Is lesbian art, any and all art made by lesbians regardless of subject matter?
A. Some Lesbians would prefer it if their work was not categorized as Lesbian Art for fear that other aspects of their work could be overlooked. Just because you are a lesbian it does not immediately make your art lesbian.
Q. If an artwork looks lesbian then is it lesbian art?
A. If a person looks like a lesbian it doesn't necessarily mean she is a lesbian. Perhaps it depends on who made the art, his/her intentions and who is looking at the art. This question is as difficult as answering what is art? Perhaps anything can be interpreted as lesbian art if that is the artists intention.
Q. Is art viewed by lesbians or given a lesbian reading automatically lesbianised?
A. The artist should have authority to say whether or not their work is meant to have a lesbian reading. But there is however a history of queering the straight, or certain characters, film stars and pop stars becoming gay/lesbian icons even though they were straight. Why should this be different in art?
Q. Is it possible to change lesbian behavior by influencing public perceptions and subjectivities using representation?
A. Yes of course. The Fashion trend Lesbian Chic in 1994 brought many girls out of the closet and encouraged lesbians to get in style. Some early 90's CK adverts encouraged the stereotype of Gay Men as fashion guru's as well as icons such as Marlon Brando and James Dean. The more lesbians were represented on TV, news coverage, included in soap plots, films, in magazines, the more it was acceptable to come out.
Q. Can we talk about lesbian visualities as existing in historical periods?
A. Yes, for instance, Claude Cahun, Radcliffe Hall, Gluck. There are many photographs of lesbians from the past either in pornography or from an actual lesbian perspective of recording their lives.
Q. Why have all the famous pictures of Lesbians been done by men?
A. Almost all were made by and for men in a period of history where women struggled to attain careers in any area, including art.
Q. Are we affected more or less by dominant culture's heterosexual beauty mandates than heterosexual women?
A. We're all affected differently; however the make-up industry does not seem to target the lesbian market in any specific way. The gay scene has its own community with its own trends which vary from mainstream styles and fashion.
Q. How are lesbians affected by men's fashions, gay or straight?
A. Androgyny plays an important role in lesbian and gay lives. For many masculinity has felt natural from childhood; and in later life has become an experience that is key in relating to others.
Q. How do we relate to heterosexual couples on television and on film?
A. Unconsciously or otherwise we are relating to either the male or the female character, maybe both.
Q. Can lesbian films made by lesbians be clearly distinguished from those made by a straight person?
A. Mainstream culture and the media are not accurately depicting our lifestyle, interactive relationships and point of view. We want to see Lesbians on TV to feel recognized and for validation that our lifestyle is indeed natural and socially acceptable.
Q. Is Lesbian Art an equivalent to Homoerotic Art?
A. ‘Lesbian Art' is largely created by men. In terms of equality there should be a lesbian counterpart made by women, ideally lesbians.
Q. Is the quality ‘lesbian' embodied in the art object, the sexuality of the artist or the viewer, or the viewing context?
A. All of the above.