FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Movies Made Me Gay
June 5 – August 5, 2009
Soft Opening, Friday June 5th, 6-9pm
GAY-la Reception, Tuesday June 16th, 7pm
Sanctuary Tattoo and Art Gallery
31 Forest Avenue, Portland, Maine

Curated by Derek Jackson, Movies Made Me Gay features seventeen local artists who are responding to the power of cinema to inspire a new way of thinking. To quote Josh Thorson, curator of the exhibition “Perspectacle 1.5” at the New Museum “The Queer subject doesn’t necessarily have to have anything to do with sexual predilection; “Queer” can simply mean a subject with the experience of being outside of banal normality...” Works on display range from painting, photography, graphic design, sound, fashion, and culinary art, among other forms that reference filmic elements such as set design, movie soundtracks, costume and casting.   This two-month exhibition is scheduled in conjunction with Portland’s 2009 Gay Pride festivities, with a “soft” opening for press and artists on Friday June 5th, and a cocktail reception with guest performances on Tuesday June 16th. 

Exhibiting artists include:

Greta Bank, Jake Brooks. Matt Camp, Timothy Cole, Just The Girl Next Door, Golden Apple by Diana Duane, Ian Goering, Highkoo + Mr. Dereloid, Derek Jackson, Justin Levesque, Heidi Powell, Kelly Jo Shows, Tina Smith, Jamie O’Sullivan, Darrell Tapley, JJ Thoman, Lady Zen