Opening May 15 at the GLBT Historical Society Museum, Éamon McGivern’s A/History presents new paintings by San Francisco-based artist Éamon McGivern. Rooted in a philosophy of portraiture that embraces empathy as a creative act, A/History draws from McGivern’s personal memory and research in the GLBT Historical Society archives. The resulting portraits reflect on the lives and legacies of queer and trans elders whose absence—from political violence, transphobia, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic—continues to shape contemporary life. Through painterly interpretation and archival reference, the exhibition invites reflection on memory, representation, and the multifaceted nature of human identity. Come experience this powerful new work at the intersection of art, memory, and community.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

General Admission: $10; Free Entry for GLBT Historical Society Members. Regular hours are Tuesday – Sunday, 11am-5pm. Visit here to view upcoming special hours and closures in preparation for exhibition. The GLBT Historical Society Museum is located in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro District.

Self-Portrait at Ocean Beach, Oil on Canvas, by Éamon McGivern. 2022.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Éamon McGivern is an artist from San Francisco who has spent the past seven years in the Bay Area painting portraits of queers, punks, and poets. More recently, he has been delving into the archives of 20th-century LGBTQ history, picking up strands from holes in the historical narratives in attempts to darn the tears between the past and present wrought by political oppression, transphobia, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. His work feels into the sorrow born from the absence of the queer and trans people who would have been the teachers, mentors, parents, and grandparents of his generation—and the effect their deaths have on contemporary life.