Body language
1990
from the Kiss of light series 1990
Medium
self adhesive plastic collage and enamel paint on plywood
Measurements
152.4 × 121.8 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1997
© David McDiarmid/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
Gallery location
Gallery 10
Level 2, NGV Australia
About this work
David McDiarmid’s art moves between the categories of high and low, craft, fashion, pop culture and activism. Inscribed on the figure’s body in this work are the names of McDiarmid’s friends and lovers who had died of AIDS-related illnesses. The swastika on the head, incorporating each letter of the acronym AIDS, refers to extreme political and social conservatism in the wake of the AIDS crisis, particularly in regard to governments’ refusal to supply funding for health and education programs.
Artwork Details
Inscription
inscribed in fibre-tipped pen on reverse u.c.: David McDiarmid / "Body Language" / 1990
Accession Number
1997.92
Department
Contemporary Art
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation
Subjects (general)
Human Figures Literary and Text Relationships and Interactions
Subjects (specific)
AIDS (medical syndrome) genitals (animal components) LGBTQ+ men (male humans) mortality names reflectivity (optical property) sex (personal activity)
Movements
Contemporary (style of art)