Though he lived and worked as an outspoken, openly gay, Cuban-born man, conceptual artist Félix González-Torres never wanted any singular aspect of his life to box him in or define his craft. He didn’t care for being labeled a “gay artist” or “Latino artist,” despite the fact that much of his work incorporated themes and imagery from these identities. Through his art, González-Torres addressed—albeit abstractly—a variety of urgent political and social issues, particularly when it came to matters regarding discriminatory public policies, censorship of LGBTQ+ artists, and perhaps most importantly, the global impact of the AIDS epidemic.
Making Queer History has a vague title because it has a rather vague purpose. We are not alone in our aim to tell the queer community’s history. What defines us is our focus not only on the past, but toward the future.