Portrait by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
Michael Petry – Curating & Publishing (Part 2)
Michael Petry is a contemporary artist, curator, and author whose work has been exhibited internationally at major institutions including the Museum of Arts and Design (New York), the Palm Springs Art Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum (London). He is the Director of MOCA London and the author of several influential books on contemporary art, including The Art of Not Making and Hidden Histories: 20th Century Male Same-Sex Lovers in the Visual Arts. His practice is deeply engaged with expanding queer narratives within the visual arts.
Petry is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans installation, glass, performance, and writing. He explores the intersections of mythology, sexuality, and power, often reinterpreting classical narratives through a queer lens. By engaging with themes of visibility, desire, and identity, he challenges traditional art historical canons and reclaims overlooked voices.
Materiality plays a central role in his practice, particularly glass, which he uses for its seductive, fragile, and metaphorically rich qualities. Petry’s work blurs boundaries between making and writing, the personal and the political. As both an artist and curator, he fosters dialogue around inclusivity and representation. Through this layered approach, Petry invites viewers to reconsider the stories we inherit and the structures that shape them.
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For further reference: michaelpetry.com