June 21 – October 1, 2024
In Pride Month, THE LATE BIRDS, together with the independent curatorial studio OSALLERY, wants to loudly proclaim: MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR!
We continue our series of queer art projects with an incredibly powerful exhibition by two refugee artists from Ukraine and Russia. Kirill Fadeyev fled from the war in Ukraine, and Igor Sychev left Russia to escape the persecution of LGBTQ artists.
Curated by Dr. Prof. Mikhail Osadchiy
The title Expelled resonates not only with the content of the works but also with the fates of the two artists. Both were exiled from the places they considered home, where they were born, grew up, and planned to continue living and working. The terrible year of 2022 made them refugees and exiles. Kirill Fadeev was forced to flee Ukraine due to the Russian military invasion, and Igor Sychev had to leave Russia to escape the war declared on LGBTQ+ culture. Right now, as I write this essay, bombs are exploding in Ukrainian cities, and in Moscow, raids are being conducted at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. Someone reported that the museum staff had hidden queer literature in the archives.
Both artists found their new home in Portugal. At the beginning of 2022, these artists could not have imagined that they would soon, involuntarily, become part of the absolute trend in the development of contemporary art. The Venice Biennale 2024 is dedicated to the art of foreign artists and queer identities. The authors of this exhibition embody both these personas. These remarkably different artists are strikingly similar. Their similarity is largely due to both having an academic art education, which pushes them towards a dialogue with aesthetic traditions and codes. Kirill and Igor openly exploit the aesthetics of socialist realism, taking the clichés of this artistic style to the point of absurdity and blatant irony.
In the aesthetics of socialist realism, the male body was one of the main heroes, symbolizing revolution, industrialization, the working class, achievements, heroism, and the building of communism. The semi-naked male body was a staple of Soviet artistic propaganda for most of the USSR’s existence. However, there was occasionally a subtle emotional aestheticization of the male body in the work of Soviet artists, as seen in the works of Alexander Deyneka. The state-sponsored promotion of physical culture and the idealized human form provided a socially acceptable framework through which artists could explore themes of physical beauty and eroticism, albeit indirectly.
This context allowed artists like Deyneka to celebrate the male body without overtly contravening societal norms. This insight allows us to see how the internal conflict in the work of two artists born in the USSR is realized. We see a liberation from the shackles of the homophobic reality of the USSR through the artistic analysis of the aesthetics of socialist realism and the parodying of Soviet artistic practices. This method of liberation through scandal and parody is not new to art and has roots in the aesthetics of carnivalization. However, queer art explores this method particularly meticulously.
After the Battle, 1937 – 1942
After the Shower, 2023
In 2022, a project by Portuguese artists João Pedro Vale and Nuno Alexandre Ferreira, titled 1983, emerged, referring to a time when Europe was as homophobic as Russia and Ukraine are now. “1983 is also the year when the first news about AIDS reaches Portugal. An impending global crisis would reveal – just as today the climate emergency or COVID – the vulnerability of life, and of our human freedoms. AIDS also revealed the structural homophobia behind the politicians’ odious stalling in implementing essential precautionary measures, and which set in motion a wave of militant resistance movements that today, 40 years later, have led to significant changes in the way people engage in anti-racist or feminist rights protest, as well as against heteronormative totalitarianisms, together playing decisive roles in the struggle against the fresh wave of neofascist populism (from Trump to Bolsonaro)” – says Dr. Prof. Alexander Melo regarding the project 1983.
Like the authors of the exhibition Expelled, the Portuguese artists used scandalous and kitsch images as a way to objectify the great internal work that every queer person undergoes, desiring to defend their right to be different, be not of this world in the world of heteronormative totalitarianisms.
The relationship between totalitarianism and homosexuality warrants separate discussion due to its typically complex nature. If we were to imagine a totalitarian mindset embodied in a single individual, we might conclude that this person would require psychological assistance. The state of such an individual could be described as a schizotypal disorder, characterized by an intense love and hatred for the same object.
The European audience is well-acquainted with the flourishing of homoeroticism in Nazi Germany up until the late 1930s. However, not everyone is aware of a similar period of fascination with the male body in Soviet art during the same decade. Earlier, I mentioned Alexander Deyneka; here, I will provide examples of his works in comparison with those of Kirill Fadeyev and Igor Sychev. Researchers of gay art note (and members of the gay community are well aware) that the space of the public restroom is semantically significant in gay culture.
The Team on Vacation, 1937 – 1942
Idlers, 2021
In times of repression, the toilet remains a space for personal freedom. As Professor Melo states, "Why public urinals become places rife with homosexual activity is historically what happens when political repression meets moral transgression." By the principle of contiguity, artistic plots can unfold in the space of a shower room, where the contact of naked bodies of the same sex does not face social condemnation. This is precisely the plot we see in the works After the Battle and After the Shower.
These works are connected not only by their plot (athletes in the shower after training) but also by the highly accurate psychological depiction of restrained mutual interest between men, evident in the characters' glances and poses.
Gay art shows a similarly strong interest in the theme of manual labor, which requires the display of male strength and the potential of the male body. Images of physical labor form complex yet enduring associations with images of roughness and dominance, leading us into another significant theme in gay art.
Let's turn to another layer of traditional culture that has been reinterpreted by gay culture. Two works that are featured on the cover of the catalog show that both artists use biblical and religious contexts. The reference to well-known emotionally charged images and plots allows the authors to explain in clear language to the viewer what a person who has consciously violated a taboo feels, having accepted the fate of an exile, simply to be themselves and live as they wish.
Despite this inner drama, the exhibition is very optimistic. The central section of the exhibition is called “The Savior” and is dedicated to the theme of overcoming crisis. The artists lead the viewer from despair and fear to an emotional surge and salvation in love.
This exhibition is being held at The Late Birds, the oldest gay resort in Portugal. The choice of venue is driven by several factors. Despite the proclaimed tolerance, the art world, even in Western Europe, remains conservative. Not every gallery or museum agrees to host an exhibition of queer artists. The reasons may be subjective (such as the homophobia of the owner or curator) or objective, related to uncertain sales prospects.
It is no surprise, then, that queer artists find support and assistance within the queer community. The gay hotel has become not only a comfortable space for displaying our work but also a relevant meeting place with a sympathetic and understanding audience. When selecting a venue, it was important to us that The Late Birds has been developing as an art residency for several years, supporting young queer artists.
In conclusion, I would like to express my profound gratitude to The Late Birds board and its founder Carlos Sanches Ruivo and his husband, Heber Charles, for their philanthropic approach, altruism, and fervent support of this project. I am also deeply thankful to Dr. Luis U. Afonso, Dr. Alexandra Fernandes, and Dr. Alexandre Melo for their support and valuable insights. Additionally, I extend my sincere thanks to the artists, Kirill and Igor, for their courage and trust in such a complex political context.
Mikhail Osadchiy
Fadeyev embarked on his formal education in the arts at the Grekov Art College in Odessa, graduating in 1997. He further honed his skills and understanding of art at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv, where he completed his education in 2003. His early recognition came during his studies when he won the city sculpture competition in Odessa consecutively in 1996 and 1998, showcasing his talent and promise as a sculptor.
His professional achievements include becoming a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine in 2009, a testament to his skill and dedication to his craft. Notably, his work “Defending Kyiv from the troops of Batu Khan. 1240” — an oil on canvas painting measuring 340x160 cm, created in 2003 — is permanently exhibited at the City Hall of Kyiv.
Fadeyev has also been active internationally, with personal exhibitions at the Adonis Art International Gallery in London in 2010 and 2013, and at the Art:EGO gallery in Kyiv in 2014. He has also participated in numerous joint Ukrainian and international exhibitions.
Beyond his individual creations, Fadeyev has been involved in numerous community projects. In 1997, he co-authored the Humor Carnival in Odessa. His significant contributions include authoring the monument “Soldiers of the Second World War” in Kyiv in 2012, which is listed in the registry of national cultural monuments protected by the state.
Sychev’s artistic journey began in earnest after he graduated from the Novosibirsk State University of Architecture, Design, and Art in 2009. His technique of easel painting and his adherence to realistic painting allow him to explore intricate themes through his genre of choice: plot-thematic pictures, particularly focusing on erotica.
By 2014, Sychev had gained enough recognition to hold a personal exhibition in Moscow, followed by another in 2017. His unique expression of themes, often centered around LGBT meanings and values, resonates with audiences internationally, leading to his works being featured in private collections across the USA, UK, France, Denmark, Germany, and Spain.
However, the reception in his homeland contrasts starkly. In Russia, any public expression of LGBT themes is deemed an act of extremism, rendering Sychev’s art illegal. This restrictive and oppressive environment led to a pivotal decision in his life. Following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Sychev left Russia in protest. He relocated to Lisbon, Portugal, where he continues to create and exhibit his art. Grateful for the shelter and hospitality provided by Portugal, Sychev’s experience underscores the often complex relationship between an artist’s environment and their creative output.
A story told by the founder
Carlos was born in Alcains, Portugal, and spent his childhood and youth in the western area of Paris, where he earned a degree in engineering and pursued a career in telecommunications. Since 2011, he has dedicated himself to creating and developing the first establishment of the Gay Urban Resort concept in Lisbon, The Late Birds. In 2017, he collaborated with like-minded entrepreneurs to found the LGBTI Chamber of Tourism and Commerce in Portugal – Variações – and launch the brand and campaign Proudly Portugal to promote Portugal as an LGBTI friendly destination to Visit, Live and Invest. This organization is co-organizer with ILGA Portugal of the EuroPride 2025, which will be held in Lisbon.
The concept of art residencies emerged more recently, during COVID crisis, when we realize that residency could be a good option to help artists, not only to work and to show their art, but also showing support to a community that has been through hard times.
Since then, every February, we invite artists for a long weekend to create and exhibit their work. Paco and Manolo from Kink magazine were our first art residents, hosting a significant photographic exhibition. They took many Polaroids here, some of which appeared in Kink magazine a few months later.
We host residencies annually without any formal selection process or public announcements. Artists often come into our lives unexpectedly, sometimes among the hotel guests. We have welcomed guests of 103 different nationalities since we opened, providing a rich environment for discovering talent.
We typically offer residencies to three very different artists. The idea is for them to create and exhibit simultaneously, fostering a dynamic atmosphere that works exceptionally well with artists like Paco and Manolo, who never ask anyone to pose for pictures. Sometimes, they find subjects for their photos among the guests, including in their rooms, and occasionally, artists venture into the city or even to a local nudist gay beach for inspiration. The crucial aspect is that they come to Lisbon, stay with us, work here, and present their work here.
Then there was a project with Fado Bicha. “Bicha” means “queer” in Portuguese. This queer group features Tiago Lila as vocalist and João Caçador, the guitarist who is also a fado singer. They formed the Fado Bicha group, which highlights the queer aspects of fado, transforming lyrics to reflect queer narratives, particularly those originally written by gay lyricists with underlying meanings. We hosted performances for about 50 people weekly, who were deeply moved by the queer fado, enhanced by explanations that made the performances profoundly impactful. Fado Bicha has since gained significant fame, even competing in a Eurovision casting in Portugal.
The full version of the interview read in the catalog
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