About Face

Jonathan David Katz, PhD, is Associate Professor of Practice in the History of Art and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at The University of Pennsylvania. In 2019, Katz curated About Face: Stonewall, Revolt and New Queer Art at Wrightwood 659 Gallery in Chicago.With texts by Julian Carter, Anthony Cianciolo, Amelia Jones, Ava L.J. Kim, Joshua Chambers-Letson, Christopher Reed, Jacolby Satterwhite, and Dagmawi Woubshet.

Winner, AIGA Best Book Design 2024‘About Face should be in every queer library.’ – Gay45‘The scholarship is deep and rewards multiple slow readings, while the artworks are sumptuous, thrilling and demand immediate appreciation. About Face is highly recommended for students of art history and queer studies, but also for anyone interested in how language transforms alongside identity.’ – Book Page‘[Katz's] ambitious state-of-the-field survey succeeds in capturing the ever-evolving hybrid intersectionality of queer aesthetics. The exhibition and its accompanying book, About Face, add immensely to this process.’ – Gay and Lesbian Review‘[N]ever underestimate the value of a volume like this — particularly by someone like Jonathan Katz, who has tirelessly worked on queerness — that brings together figures who are, for the most part, not exhibited or considered together. Pride comes in different forms; more of this, please.’ –Hyperallergic‘Demonstrate[s] the transformative power of queer art.’ – Dazed‘Bring[s] a deeper understanding of the canon.’ – The Art Newspaper‘The present moment sets the stage perfectly for About Face, ensuring its relevance and urgency for readers.’ – STIR‘[This book] brings together five decades of exuberance, defiance, solidarity, heartbreak and metamorphosis from artists who have reimagined how we think about gender and sexuality.’ – The New York Times