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Grady Harp wrote on 06/06/2010:

Throughout history there have been movements in art that stepped away from the current mode of expression and, usually under duress, opened another window for looking at nature and at mankind. For brief moments of time these movements (Pre-Raphaelite, Symbolists, Abstraction, Sauvages, etc) caused shock and disruption to only later become incorporated into the 'traditional phases' of art history. And so it is with Peter Weiermaur's impressive book TREASURES OF GAY ART. Using the collection of the Leslie/Lohman Foundation in New York, he has gathered a selection of works that fall into the category of gay art represented by artists from the very well known to the too unknown. He divides his book (including a valuable essay by James M Saslow) into sections on painting, drawings and prints, photography, and sculptures and objects - each section represented historically as to the time of the works created.

The artists range form the very well known glitterati of Paul Cadmus, Jared French, Jean Cocteau, Keith Haring, George Platt Lynes, Robert Mapplethorpe, Pavel Tchelitchev, Wilhelm Von Gloeden and Andy Warhol, through the highly regarded contemporary artists such as Wes Hempel, Duane Michals, Reed Massengill, Steve Walker and so many lesser known names to the general public but equally important in the extent of this collection. The works very from academic studies of the male nude through narrative works in all media, to frankly erotic works such as the drawings of Warhol and the illustrations of Touko Laaksonen (better known as Tom of Finland).

The quality of layout and design is first class, and the presentation of the book marks it as an important addition to the catalogues of art movements. In time this book will be an indispensable part of the documenting the development of an avenue of art too long hidden from public display and for that fact alone it is an important publication.

Grady Harp