Virtual Queer Art Tours & Talks
Fun, engaging, & queer!
If you’re looking for stiff, boring and overly intellectual art talks, you’ve come to the wrong place! Through interactive and participatory events, my virtual queer art talks illuminate the incredible contribution queer artists have made to art history. Perfect for corporate events, Queer ERGs, LGBTQ+ networks, birthday parties, and Pride Month activities, I offer a variety of queer art talks & tours that highlight queer stories you don’t always hear in museums!
What I offer:
Fun and engaging talks based on queer works of art by queer artists in museum collections.
12 years experience creating queer content in museums, including the British Museum, the V&A, the Smithsonian, and the Museum of Modern Art.
Customizable events; facilitated discussion; recorded events; Zoom hosting; flexible availability.
Queer Talks
-
What Makes an Artwork Queer?
The perfect introduction to what queer art is! Take a virtual queer tour of the Museum of Modern Art and get an overview of art history and queer history across the 20th century.
-
What Makes an Artwork Queer? Part II
Level up on your queer art knowledge with What Makes an Artwork Queer part 2! Get introduced to several more queer artists and discover just how radical they can be.
-
Frida Kahlo: Queer Icon
Frida Kahlo is one of the most original artists of all time. Find out how she weaved in her queer identity into some of her most famous artworks.
-
Queer British Art
Based on the Tate’s groundbreaking exhibition Queer Britsh Art, this talk highlights some of the queerest artists Britain ever produced, from Oscar Wilde to David Hockney.
-
The Queer Beginnings of Modern Art
Focusing on artists born between the 1864 and 1904, this talk explores the relationship between the beginnings of modern art and the emergence of a more visible queer lifestyle.
-
Downtown 80s Queer Art Crawl
The East Village Art Scene that exploded in New York City in the 1980s is one of the queerest eras in all art history. Take a look at the queer artists who lead the scene.
Companies who’ve enjoyed my queer art talks & tours
Reviews
“Far from a static slideshow, George mixed together video, audio, clever captions and a variety of photographs from the MoMA galleries to provide context and support for his insightful commentary on several artworks in the museum’s collection. This made for a dynamic presentation that deeply engaged us as a couch-bound audience. I was among those who felt like I was actually in the Museum of Modern Art for an hour.”
– J. Biersdofer, Co-chair The New York Times LGBTQ+ Network
“What I really liked was how the guide literally guided us around each of the images in focus, rather than say mentioning it briefly and then going into the background. It felt super fun too and there was just lots of nice little touches. Felt inspired to learn more.”
– D. Parlour, London Blue Badge Tourist Guide
“It was a polished and dynamic virtual journey through MoMA’s galleries and collections, with a momentum that made me forget I was sitting in front of my computer screen…But it was not only a very entertaining lecture: George came ready with flexible questions and made sure to yield the mic, giving our group time to exchange thoughts, experience, knowledge.”
– C. McCarthy, Archivist, The LGBT Center NYC
“I learnt a lot from George Benson’s queer art talks. George was highly informed and wonderfully entertaining, he expertly brought to life a topic and a collection that previously I knew little about. Art and the art world can often seem intimidating. Experts like George are invaluable for broadening the relevance of the modern museum or gallery’s collections.”
– W. Newton, Curator
“George Benson expertly took us on a journey through MoMA's galleries with insights into artists both well and lesser known and a few jokes along the way. Informed in content, light in tone, I would highly recommend this joy of a tour.”
– B. Shepherd, Head of Interpretation, The Victoria and Albert Museum
“The tour was witty, humorous but also very informative and well-paced. George has a nice, relaxed but also very professional style; he was extremely well-informed. It was a good strategy to allow space for audience reaction after each piece, made it more interactive and kept the audience involved.”