Swann Galleries Announces Auction of LGBTQ+ Art and Historical Ephemera
**A Glimpse into the Seventh LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Auction at Swann Galleries**
On August 21, Swann Galleries presents the seventh iteration of its LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History auction, showcasing an impressive collection that spans the 20th and 21st centuries. The auction features notable fine art, photography, and ephemera created by renowned artists, authors, tastemakers, and activists from the LGBTQ+ community. Spearheading the event for the second year is Corey Serrant, who expresses enthusiasm for this year’s exceptional offerings, which include a special selection from the estate of prominent LGBTQ+ rights advocate Dr. Charles Silverstein. Proceeds from these works will support the NYC LGBT Community Center.
One of the auction highlights is a 1987 oil-on-canvas portrait by Hugh Steers, depicting Carl George. Captured before Steers’s HIV diagnosis, the portrait represents George, a friend and early collector of Steers’s art, set in his kitchen using a lighter palette. This intimate piece reflects the personal and professional bond they shared.
Collectors and enthusiasts will find works by artists such as Beauford Delaney, Glenn Ligon, Robert Mapplethorpe, Laura Aguilar, Iké Udé, and Jimmy DeSana. Additionally, the auction will feature illustration art from the leather community by names like Tom of Finland, The Hun, Domino, and Rex. The literary section includes valuable manuscripts, extensive archives of lesbian pulp fiction, physique pictorials, and a first edition of James Baldwin’s iconic “Giovanni’s Room.”
The Estate of Dr. Charles Silverstein generously donates a selection of works to be auctioned for the benefit of the NYC LGBT Community Center. Dr. Silverstein (1935–2023) is remembered for his influential role in removing homosexuality as a mental illness from the DSM by the American Psychiatric Association in 1973, and for authoring “The Joy of Gay Sex” in 1977. The estate offers works by Deni Ponty, Michael Leonard, and Bruce Kamerling among others.
The auction catalog provides a comprehensive guide to the items featured in this unique sale. For more detailed information and to view the catalog, visit Swann Galleries’ official website.