April 15 – 19
Reception: Thursday, April 17, 5-7:30pm
Location: Gallery 7, Humanities Building, 455 N Park St, Madison, WI
Cruising is a practice used predominantly by gay men, in which two or more participants use a secret language of eye contact, gestures, codes, and consent to engage in sex in common, everyday spaces. Its anonymity and serendipity allow for people to explore their sexuality without fear or shame and was very popular in the 70’s and 80’s coinciding with the rise of gay liberation. As spaces made specifically for gay people, like bars, clubs, bathhouses/saunas, etc. became more popular, the need to make our own cruising spots became more about the enjoyment of risk and adventure. But it’s important to remember, spaces for gay sex had to be made just out of view. The remnants of that time are still present today. Here in the George L. Mosse Humanities building, the men’s restrooms don’t have doors at the entrances. In the stalls, there are threats of fines for illegitimate use of the bathrooms. These are remnants of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s attempt to control cruising. There are bathrooms spread out across campus that have a diverse history of violence, intimacy, power, and resistance.
Cruise Control is an elegy for the people who came before me and carved out the space to seek their own pleasure, in spite of an institution with a lavender stained past. The quilts depicted in this show, both finished and proposed, serve as our inheritance. They remind us of the power the doors to the cruising spots had, to make a bathroom a space of pleasure, excitement, and opportunity. It’s something I want to continue to pass down and honor through my time and labor. The heart of this exhibition, Glory, asks us to think about the intimacy shared in anonymous sex, particularly of an era past. To confess your desires to a stranger who is confessing back to you, becomes a powerful moment of shared resistance. I hope this show can be a reminder that queer spaces are made by us everywhere we need them.
The Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions season continues with Sam Northcut’s exhibit Cruise Control. The MFA Thesis Exhibitions mark the culmination of a three-year degree program that emphasizes development of a rigorous studio art practice under the supervision of a faculty guidance committee. Exploring an interdisciplinary approach to art making, as well as coursework in art history and related fields, artists cultivate professional practices that facilitate a sustainable career in the arts. Join us in celebrating our Class of 2025 UW-Madison Graduate professionals!