Genetic Engineering Satyr, 1988. Xerograph on paper, 8 1/2 x 11 in. Among the hundreds of prints that Pierson collected, several focused on public identity, social activism, as well as gay love and attraction. In 1976, following Purcell’s death, Pierson began donating his print collection to the FIA and continued to collect and donate additional works until his death in 1997. Pierson was employed by General Motors following World War II and later moved to Long Island with his life-long partner, Robert Martin Purcell. Highlighting the work of several well-known and lesser-known gay artists and works by heterosexual artists, this exhibition captures the multi-dimensional nature of gay identity in the 20th century. Drawing on Pierson’s experience as a gay man, Political and Personal: Images of Gay Identity sheds light on the important role sexual identity played in informing his collecting habits.
This exhibition features 24 works donated by Flint native Jack B. Political and Personal: Images of Gay Identity ApJGraphics Gallery
