Great write up from Art Scholar and Curator Ashley Louderkirk

Enjoy!

For more about the Cryptocoxx visit cryptocoxx.com. 

To read more from Ashley visit www.ouderkirkonart.com/ or her Instagram @ouderkirkonart .

The Cryptocoxx Coalition:

An LGBTQIA+ Revolution in the Metaverse

by Ashley Louderkirk

The Cryptocoxx Coalition series is a passion project that explores the levels of sexual censorship experienced and internalized by LGBTQIA+ people in a heterosexual-dominate community. While some elements of Gay culture are considered “acceptable” and embraced — or even appropriated by the masses— subtle discrimination and even homophobia still all co-exist. There remains a blatant discomfort with the nude male body when it’s labeled as “Gay,” “Queer,” “Non-Binary,” or “Trans.” Once labeled, the body immediately takes on a sexualized, almost pornographic identity, even though there is no sexual act taking place.

To address this issue, artist Cid Roberts has chosen to explore the imaginary line that separates the acceptable classical nude pose from a sexually charged image to question: Why does the sitter’s sexual identity or preference matter?

In this fictitious series — grounded in the graphic novel realm of heroes and villains — we meet the first group of heros: Bull, Crow, Eagle, Fox, Gas, Griffin, Plastic, Prince, Shadow, and Sombrero. Each is shown centered near a glowing, neon, halo-like hoop. They all hover above and dwarf the metropolis of Cryptoboro below. Set against a starlit midnight sky, the Coalition appears most active at night. We see each figure repeated numerous times within the work, hinting at rapid movement like in the charging character in Bull 4, or the timelapse feel of Crow 1, perched in multiple locations surveilling the city. Importantly, the entire Cryptocoxx Coalition is depicted nude (except for their masks), moving their bodies in a variety of poses from crouching to kneeling to sprinting. The artist seems to experiment with sensuality, turning up the volume on works like Eagle 1, with his sultry gaze or blatantly with works like Shadow 3, where he grasps his genitals and tilts his head backwards in euphoria, and then dialing it back on works like Fox 2 where he is fully nude, but simply shown standing. Perhaps to ensure the viewer “sees” these characters as “gay,” the artist chose to incorporate a full, bright rainbow palette reflecting the LGBTQA+ flag.

As with most comic book heroes, their identity is concealed by masks. Each disguise may also allude to their role or “super power” in the community, such as the slyness of a fox or the leadership of a prince. There also seems to be a deeper meaning behind the masks, as they conceal their faces. As the artist mentioned to me, there’s a vulnerability to being nude and being so exposed and open to the world. Yet, these characters even with all their bravery still feel the need to conceal a part of themselves— for safety, security and fear of acceptance. Perhaps this is how many people feel in the LGBTQA+ community, this constant internal struggle of wanting to share your full self to the world, but knowing on some level you won’t be fully accepted.

I look forward to seeing the full collection of The Cryptocoxx Coalition and witnessing the tenacity and determination of each character on their journey. The world needs more heroes!