Jacob Appleton
Jacob Appleton (he/him) is a queer-identifying emerging curator and writer.
A trained multidisciplinary artist, Jacob is currently living and working on
Birpai Land, NSW. He is passionate about contemporary art practices,
archival works, queerness as a medium and site-specific works. Jacob
most recently curated bentART's Annual Exhibition in Katoomba, NSW.
bentART celebrates works in the visual arts of Australian Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTQI+) artists, evolving into the
largest LGBTQI art event in Australia. Jacob obtained a Bachelor of Arts
from La Trobe University (Melbourne) in 2019, double majoring in
Anthropology and Gender, Sexuality and Diversity Studies. Appleton
graduated with academic excellence in 2023, completing a Master of
Curation and Cultural Leadership at UNSW, Sydney.
︎ @jcbaptn
Bloom
Throughout history, there have been numerous times when queer sexuality has been forcibly clandestine, consequently, queer people were forced to communicate through argot codes in order to shield their true sexuality. One such way was through the language of flowers, floriography, which became popular during the Victorian era - allowing subtle messages of queerness to be communicated.
There are many examples of flowers and queer symbolism throughout history. Saphho wrote of women frolicking together with garlands of violet in their hair. Oscar Wilde asked his fellow gay friends to wear a green carnation in their lapels in proud solidarity - the trend was later taken up by Parisian gay men as an argot code. "Pansy" was, and sometimes continues to be widely known and used as a pejorative term for gay, or effeminate men. Gay men were called "lavender boys", whilst lesbian women were called "lavender menaces" as a slur, now, the hue of lavender is seen as an representation of blue and pink, reflecting the different hues of gender and sexuality.
Seeking to explore and illuminate the relationship between queerness and floriography, Bloom is an off-line exhibition that investigates this historical language by contemporary queer artists, exploring this coded language and how plants can offer a language of intimate connections. Flamboyant and multi-layered in its nature, Bloom investigates through artistic, social, historical and political lenses. Visitors to the exhibition will experience painting, photography, installation, ceramics and digital media revisiting this Victorian language of floriography. Artworks will explore an evolution of these coded forms of solidarity in a non-clandestine era. Bloom delivers an exhibition featuring queer practitioners, creating a safe space of open communication through 21st century flora, carrying with it a sense of curatorial activism by championing the artist as 'other'.
︎ @jcbaptn
Bloom
Throughout history, there have been numerous times when queer sexuality has been forcibly clandestine, consequently, queer people were forced to communicate through argot codes in order to shield their true sexuality. One such way was through the language of flowers, floriography, which became popular during the Victorian era - allowing subtle messages of queerness to be communicated.
There are many examples of flowers and queer symbolism throughout history. Saphho wrote of women frolicking together with garlands of violet in their hair. Oscar Wilde asked his fellow gay friends to wear a green carnation in their lapels in proud solidarity - the trend was later taken up by Parisian gay men as an argot code. "Pansy" was, and sometimes continues to be widely known and used as a pejorative term for gay, or effeminate men. Gay men were called "lavender boys", whilst lesbian women were called "lavender menaces" as a slur, now, the hue of lavender is seen as an representation of blue and pink, reflecting the different hues of gender and sexuality.
Seeking to explore and illuminate the relationship between queerness and floriography, Bloom is an off-line exhibition that investigates this historical language by contemporary queer artists, exploring this coded language and how plants can offer a language of intimate connections. Flamboyant and multi-layered in its nature, Bloom investigates through artistic, social, historical and political lenses. Visitors to the exhibition will experience painting, photography, installation, ceramics and digital media revisiting this Victorian language of floriography. Artworks will explore an evolution of these coded forms of solidarity in a non-clandestine era. Bloom delivers an exhibition featuring queer practitioners, creating a safe space of open communication through 21st century flora, carrying with it a sense of curatorial activism by championing the artist as 'other'.
