Ikonotheka 2022/32 (PDF)

In the last two decades, the 'queer desire for history' formulated by Carolyn Dinshaw has led to re-evaluations and new readings of the past from the perspective of lesbian, gay, and queer studies. Among the range of areas covered by the so-called queer turn were also art history and heritage studies.

This special issue of "Ikonotheka" aims to problematise the presence of the 'queer historical impulse' in Central Europe, especially the art and architecture of the region and visual culture in a broader sense. What is the history and status of queer heritage in Central Europe? What research methods seem particularly relevant for the study of queer heritage, especially considering the constant lack of sources and institutional queerphobia. How do historians and historians of art and architecture, as well as museum professionals and other researchers and scholars working on the visual culture of the region, respond to the challenges posed by LGBTQ history? Is Central Europe's queer past an example of an unwanted heritage? Or does it also provide the impetus to produce a different art history? What are the connections between Central Europe's queer heritage and its global or Western counterpart? These and other questions are answered by the authors invited to the issue – researchers and scholars from Poland, Hungary, Romania, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

The publication is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Poland license (CC BY 3.0 PL) (full license available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode).

Keywords: Carolyn Dinshaw, history of art, lesbian, gay, gueer, LGBTQ, queer desire for history, queer heritage, Central Europe.