The second edition of the Queer New York International Arts Festival has officially arrived, bringing together dancers, performers, musicians and visual artists in a dynamic exploration of what exactly "queer" art is. Curated by Zvonimir Dobrović and the late André von Ah, the festival aims to trace, reexamine and explode open the genre as artists tease out their definitions of the social and aesthetic other.
“Creating a festival like Queer New York is an opportunity to put forward certain artistic ideas, of crossing the boundaries of genres, playing with artistic content and formats," QNYIA curator Zvonimir Dobrovic explained to The Huffington Post. "All the while challenging traditional and stereotypical understanding of what queer art should be -- and where its place is."
From Bulgarian performance artist Ivo Dimchev to German choreographer Antonia Baehr, the participating artists address issues of gender and identity, as well as the personal and social aspects that define and shape queer trends in the art world. Artists from across the globe will coalesce at Manhattan's Abrons Arts Center, where singers, dancers and circus performers attempt to focus a wide mass of media on a singular point of discussion -- the future of queer performance.
"It is these types of artists and arts that make us think, that make us push our own boundaries that we need more of in the world, and that is what our festival is trying to bring about -- the stage as a place of regeneration of ideas, and as it is with births, they are loud, bloody and sometimes difficult.”
To help you navigate the world of QNYIA 2013, we've put together a list of 8 artists to watch out for this year. Scroll down for a preview of their works and head over to QNYIA for a full schedule of the festivities to come.
1. CHOKRA
The New York-based visual-performance artist will be presenting "Zawaj Al Khaleej (Gulf Marriage)" at Abrons Experimental on Tuesday, October 24 at 7:30pm. (Photo by Hronn Axelsdottier courtesy of QNYIA Festival)
2. Room 100
Croatian experimental circus duo Room 100 will be performing "C8H11NO2" at Abrons Playhouse on Tuesday, October 29 at 8:30pm. (Photo courtesy of the QNYIA Festival)
3. Ivo Dimchev
The Bulgarian performance artist will present "P-Project" at the Abrons Playhouse on Wednesday, October 23 at 8pm. (Photo courtesy of the QNYIA Festival)
The Croatian dance artist will perform "Denuded" at Abrons Playhouse on Sunday, October 27 at 8:00pm. (Photo by Pavle Heidler courtesy of QNYIA Festival)
The Brazilian performance and visual artist will present "Untitled Performance" at Grace Exhibition space on Friday, October 25 at 10:00pm. (Photo courtesy of the QNYIA Festival)
The German choreographer will present "Laugh" at Abrons Experimental on Friday, October 26 at 7:00pm. (Photo by Marc Domage courtesy of the QNYIA Festival)
7. Sineglossa
The Italian-based art collective will present "Remember Me" at Abrons Playhouse on Thursday, October 24 at 8:00, 8:30 and 9:00pm. (Photo courtesy of the QNYIA Festival)
8. Suka Off
The Poland-based art collective will present "TransFera 1.5" at Grace Exhibition Space on Friday, October 25 at 10:00pm. (Photo by Manuel Vason courtesy of QNYIA Festival)
The Queer New York International Arts Festival 2013 will run from October 23 to November 2, 2013.