Joel Hutchinson

To quote RuPaul, “We’re all born naked, and the rest is drag”, and my work explores this intersection of how drag and gender conformity fits into all our lives. I think that the act of gender is an art form itself, therefore deserving of further artistic exploration. My work revolves around themes of gender and sexual identity because it is a means of expressing my own identity. It is important to me that my work reflects my world view and highlights the presence of queer people. By using retro imagery, my art reclaims a time where queer people were not allowed to be mainstream and makes them the focus. I twist stereotypes and old school imagery to subvert the messages of that time.

Cinema has also played a major role in the shaping of my artistic style. As a California native, Hollywood has been a fundamental source of socialization and understanding of how I fit into the world, and how the world can be presented more glamorously. One of my paintings, Hollywood Cowboy expresses the ideas of contradictions of gender norms within our culture. On one hand, movies perpetuate an idealized masculinity through the western cowboy, but there are also homoerotic references to the cowboy in popular culture as well. This piece is about how we learn so much about gender through popular culture, however at times the references are confusing or contradictory. Ultimately this expresses how everyone is just performing gender through some version of drag.

JOEL SPANOS: IMAGE LIST

1. Behind the Curtain, 2019. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 30 x 24 inches

2. Boys Just Wanna Have Fun, 2019. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 24 x 20 inches

3. Butch Queen, 2020. Relief/Monoprint; oil ink on paper, 22 x 30 inches

4. Category Is Strings, 2021. Styrofoam, yarn, fringe, beads, ribbon, denim, thread and glitter, 24 x 8 x 8 inches

5. Change is Slow, 2020. CNC cut MDF, fake flowers, rhinestones, razor blades, 22 x 32 x 1.5 inches

6. Gucci Girl, 2019. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 36 x 24 inches

7. Hollywood Cowboy, 2019. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 36 x 24 inches

8. I Love Fruit, 2021. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 40x 30 inches

9. Kaleidoscope, 2020. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

10. Like a Man, 2019. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 40 x 30

11. Loved by You, 2020. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 24 x 20 inches

12. Man of Light and Flowers, 2021. Packing tape and tissue paper, 58 x 22 x 12 inches

13. Melting Flowers at the Beach, 2021. Fresh flowers in block of ice, 8 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches

14. Pool Party, 2021. Digital collage

15. Poppy Fields Forever, 2018. Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 20 inches

16. Queen Vision, 2021. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 36 x 24 inches

17. Sin, 2020, multi-plate intaglio and collage on paper, 15 x 11.5 inches

18. The Pink Wallpaper, 2019. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 30 x 24 inches

19. The Rainbow Wallpaper, 2020. Relief print; oil ink on paper, 108 x 24 inches

20. The World is Your Ballroom, 2019. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 36 x 36 inches