Galeria

Despite being one of the largest gay communities outside Manhattan, Jackson Heights, Queens lacks a venue in which to celebrate queer art and performance, like Manhattan’s Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation or the Bronx Academy of Art and Dance. Enter Hector Canonge, the artist behind the immensely successful film series Cinemarosa at the Queens Museum of Art in Flushing Meadow Park. “I saw the need to create an alternative space whose main focus would be around themes that concern the queer community. I wanted to create a place where we can freely explore topics such as queer identity, body politics, erotica [and] sex without having to worry about offending someone.”

His solution is Galeria (Cinemarosa.org/Galeria), his new multidisciplinary arts space in the basement of Hombres Lounge (85-28 37th Ave), a local gay bar. “Mauricio Fino, the manager of Hombres Lounge, wanted to have film screenings. But I didn’t want to duplicate what we already do with Cinemarosa, so I proposed the idea of a gallery.” Together they transformed the dimly lit green room into a beautiful space for fine art, performance art, literary readings, social networking events and even a bi-weekly party called Rosalicious. Galeria is currently showing an exhibit called “Genitalia”, which the South American-born Canonge curated, and has more planned for fall, including a showcase of HIV/AIDS-related art.

But can a gallery in the basement of a gay bar be taken seriously? Canonge thinks so. “Many people who visit the bar…have never been to a gallery or museum. So Galeria brings art to the people rather than expecting the people to come to the space. So it is happening—it’s slowly transforming Jackson Heights into an art hub. A great queer hub!”