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New Jerome Caja Show in Chicago at Wrightwood 659

5/26/2019

ABOUT FACE: Stonewall, Revolt and New Queer Art

ABOUT FACE: Stonewall, Revolt and New Queer Art is the latest exhibition to include Jerome Caja’s work. This is one of the largest group showings of queer artwork in North America and naturally a perfect place to introduce Jerome to new audiences. The show opens May 22nd and will be on display until July 20th (see details below).

One hundred eighteen pieces of Jerome’s art are hung in his signature salon style, much like the way he displayed his own work. This is an extraordinary collection of pieces, with everything from nail-polish container paintings, tip trays, assemblages, ink drawings, to a rare ceramic wall piece that is still intact. More than half of this Jerome collection has not been displayed since his death in 1995. The exhibition also includes Jerome pieces from two local Chicago collectors, one of whom was friends with him in Cleveland before he left for San Francisco. This is one of the largest groupings of Jerome’s art on display in over 20 years.

The curator of ABOUT FACE is Jonathan David Katz, PhD, Visiting Professor of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and chair of the doctoral program in Visual Studies at the University at Buffalo.

The show is spread out over four floors in the Alphawood Foundation’s new Wrightwood 659 exhibition space. ABOUT FACE includes over 45 artists and spotlights over 500 works of art that range from photography, pantings, letterpress and silk-screen prints, sculptures, hand-made sculpted dolls, video and film installations, and much more.

Sneak Peak of the Jerome Caja Exhibit

This is a panoramic video illustrating the 118 pieces of Jerome Caja's artwork displayed on the 4th floor gallery of Wrightwood 659. The show is installed in five sections: Transgress, Transfigure, Transpose, Transform, and Transcend. Jerome is showcased on the top floor, in the Transcend section.

ADDRESS: 659 W. Wrightwood, Chicago, IL 60614
PHONE: 773.437.6601
EMAIL: info@wrightwood659.org

LINK: Wrightwood 659 Website
LINK: Exhibition Description
LINK: Make Reservations

PLEASE NOTE: Reservations are needed to view the exhibition. Use the reservation link listed above to select a date and time.

About Face: Stonewall, Revolt and New Queer Art is made possible by the Alphawood Foundation Chicago.

by Anthony Cianciolo

SFMOMA Acquires Jerome Caja’s Shroud of Buddha

12/16/2018

Written by Jeff Parker & Craig Corpora

The Shroud of Buddha (1992) is the first addition to Jerome Caja’s other artworks in the SFMOMA collection since the the artist’s death in 1995.

Jerome faced his own mortality from AIDS by tailoring three life-sized shrouds: The Shroud of Bozo, The Shroud of Glam-O-Rama, and The Shroud of Buddha, each one a perfect fit for his public personas: the clown, a drag queen, an enigmatic muse. The shrouds started out as rubbings of his made-up face, his living flesh forming the facial features. Ghostly smudges from mascara, eye shadow, foundation, blush, lipstick on his face were transferred to textile, stretched, embedded with his own “DNA,” then gloriously and elaborately embellished, and marketed as “genuine.”

Jerome described The Shroud of Bozo, “as wide as bed sheet, with hair out to here,” gesturing with arms spread. The Shroud of Glam-O-Rama was on a cheesecloth-type material, “wispy, sparkly, and delicate, so you could see through it in places.” The shrouds all included shadowy imprints of hands or fingers clutching the textile, supporting it in place; the artist taking creative control, shaping his own final arrangements. “You can tell it’s me in The Shroud of Buddha by my nail polish,” he laughed, flickering his red fingernails before his eyes.

Today it appears that only The Shroud of Buddha survives. Jeff Parker and James Collins purchased it from the artist in 1992 with the understanding that it would eventually be donated to the SFMOMA, and this unrestricted gift fulfills that promise.

The Shroud of Buddha was created for and premiered at The Remains of the Day exhibition at Southern Exposure Gallery in 1992. The Remains of the Day, guest curated by City Lights Books editor Amy Scholder and artist/designer Rex Ray, was a powerful testimony and elegy to the effects of AIDS on an artist’s career. Jerome Caja used a friend and mentor’s ashes, the cremains of Charles Sexton, who had died from AIDS the year before at age 34, to create works of art for this groundbreaking and challenging show. This exhibit was installed in San Francisco well before the ACT UP Ashes to Action protest where activists staged a “political funeral” to express grief and rage at President George H.W. Bush’s inaction, by dumping the ashes of loved ones who died from AIDS on the White House lawn in Washington, DC.

The Shrouds are ghosts and reliquaries of the vanished artist; as clown, as drag queen, and as a joyful participant in the sorrows of the world: “It really is me behind there, and I am watching you.”

Special thanks to Anthony Cianciolo of The Jerome Project and the Estate of Jerome Caja for their work in preserving and promoting Jerome’s legacy.

Collection SFMOMA – Gift of Jeff Parker &
James Collins, 2018

New Jerome Caja Book & Panel Discussion by Visual AIDS

9/9/2018

DUETS: Nayland Blake & Justin Vivian Bond in Conversation on Jerome Caja

Come celebrate Jerome at the New York Art Book Fair on Saturday September 22nd at MoMA PS1. There will be a panel discussion from 3:00-4:00 PM between Nayland Blake, Anna van der Meulen, and myself, moderated by Visual AIDS Programs Director Alex Fialho. This is an hourlong event launching the new DUETS Jerome Caja book, which features an insightful conversation between Nayland Blake and Justin Vivian Bond. There will also be 10 minutes of never-before seen vintage film footage of Jerome from the upcoming new documentary currently in production about Jerome Caja and his art.

Purchase Your Book Now From Visual AIDS for only $10.00

LOGISTICS
NY Art Book Fair
Sept. 21-23, 2018
Website: www.nyartbookfair.com
Website: http://visualaids.org/events/detail/visual-aids-at-the-ny-art-book-fair-2018

ART BOOK FAIR HOURS
Thursday (Preview), Sept. 20, 6-9pm (Ticketed)
Friday, Sept. 21, 1-7pm
Saturday, Sept. 22, 11am-9pm
Sunday, Sept. 23, 11am-7pm

LOCATION
MoMA PS1, Long Island City, Queens
(MoMA PS1 is located at 22-25 Jackson Avenue on 46th Avenue, Long Island City, NY)

DUETS JEROME PANEL DISCUSSION
Saturday, Sept. 22nd from 3:00-4:00 PM
(Hosted by Visual AIDS, moderated by Alex Fialho, and the panel includes Nayland Blake, Anna van der Meulen & Anthony Cianciolo)

VISUAL AIDS PANEL EVENT PAGE
Website: Jerome Caja DUETS Book Launch with Nayland Blake, Anthony Cianciolo and Anna van der Meulen

ONLINE BOOK PURCHASE ORDERS
Website: DUETS: Nayland Blake & Justin Vivian Bond In Conversation on Jerome Caja

Image Copyrights: Jerome Caja photo courtesy Jim James (www.photojimsf.com) & the painting Venus in Cleveland courtesy of The Jerome Project & Smithsonian Institution Archives of American Art.

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja in Group Art Show — Objects of Mutual Affection

11/15/2017

Jerome at Royal Nonesuch Gallery in Oakland

Matt Sussman kindly invited me to speak about Jerome Caja on a panel that he organized titled Real Fictional Depth. This is in conjunction with the current exhibition, Objects of Mutual Affection, that features art from various New Narrative writers' homes, including a painting by Jerome on loan from Bruce Boone.

Matt wanted to open up a discussion about Jerome’s legendary, rule-breaking, San Francisco underground queer performances.

Because the world was Jerome’s stage and never limited to just clubs and cabarets, Jerome was constantly performing in all sorts of unconventional creative ways and environments. I will share 3-4 video clips from my documentary film on Jerome Caja that illustrate the various platforms he utilized to capture our attention, and most importantly, to get his art out into the world.

The presentation is at Royal NoneSuch Gallery in Oakland on November 15th and will start at 6:00 PM. For details, see below. I hope to see you there!

EXHIBITION DETAILS
Title: Objects of Mutual Affection
Curated by: Matt Sussman
Hosted by: Royal NoneSuch Gallery

Dates: October 7, 2017 through to December 10, 2017
Hours: Sat & Sun from 1:00—4:00 PM & by appointment
Address: 4231 Telegraph Ave. Oakland, CA 94609

Objects of Mutual Affection presents art from the homes of Bay Area writers Dodie Bellamy, Bruce Boone, Robert Glück, Kevin Killian, and Jocelyn Saidenberg. Instigators and practitioners of what has come to be called New Narrative writing, these individuals have also been vital participants in the Bay Area’s visual arts communities. Their frequent collaborations with artists have included publishing ventures, performances, and exhibitions, alongside a steady output of writing on visual art, including essays, profiles, and reviews. The pieces in Objects of Mutual Affection provide a record of the overlapping social and creative worlds in which these activities have taken place. Filled with mementos of decades-long friendships, art world crushes, serendipitous encounters, and departed lovers, Objects of Mutual Affection is both an extended family portrait of a creative community and a reconsideration of “collecting” as something other than a private or financial enterprise.

PANEL DISCUSSION DETAILS
Title: Real Fictional Depth - An Evening of Performance & Video
Moderated by: Matt Sussman
Hosted by: Royal NoneSuch Gallery

Date: One night only on November 15, 2017
Hours: 6:00—8:00 PM
Address: 4231 Telegraph Ave. Oakland, CA 94609

In conjunction with the exhibition Objects of Mutual Affection, Royal NoneSuch Gallery and guest curator Matt Sussman are pleased to present Real Fictional Depth - An Evening of Performance and Video by artists featured in the exhibition.

Bob Glück and Dean Smith will present their latest video collaboration. Poet and visual artist Dee Dee Kramer will read from her selection of collage poems, and filmmaker Anthony Cianciolo will present rare footage of the late, great painter and trash-drag goddess, Jerome Caja.

FaceBook Event: Real Fictional Depth, An Evening of Performance & Video
Gallery Website: www.royalnonesuchgallery.com

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja & the Bubble Lounges Panel

8/13/2017

Thank you all for coming out and participating in the vibrant panel discussion!

It was a full house with many familiar faces from the club scene and the art world. The panel used Jerome as a launching point for a public conversation about a misfit group of punks, activists, artists, dykes, trans, and queers who went to clubs like Screw, Chaos, and Uranus to celebrate life at a time when they did not know if they were going to make it out alive. Back then, the club scene, midnight cabarets and talk shows, and underground art galleries, like Rick Jacobsen’s Kiki Gallery, were integral parts of the activism and protests propelling the fight against AIDS in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

Panelists & Participants:

STEVEN WOLF started the evening off with thanks and appreciation for everyone’s participation. He set the stage for a lovely, heartfelt evening.

GLEN HELFAND was the moderator for the panel. He guided a conversation that was more historical than just nostalgic, with a strong emphasis on the impact the clubs, Jerome, and other artists of the era had on San Francisco.

ANTHONY CIANCIOLO presented vintage video clips from Club Uranus and the 1992 Miss Uranus pageant, which showcased the hair-raising siren sounds of Miss Rena McDonald (Adam Klein) and the nauseating splendor of Carnitas Jones (Cliff Hengst). Anthony also talked about the importance of Lewis Walden and Michael Blue in providing a forum where Jerome’s gender-fuck go-go performances and ugly pageants were as important as the audience’s cathartic participation.

ALVIN ORLOFF of the Popstitutes talked about the importance of Tony Vaguely’s huge body of work, including the Sick & Twisted Players’ productions of Exorcist: A Dance Macabre, A Very Brady Friday the 13th, and Texas Chainsaw 90210. Alvin had a beautiful slideshow spotlighting the unforgettable presence and work of the fabulous Diet Popstitute. He also shared all kinds of handmade Popstitute ephemera like club flyers, DIY plastic flower miniskirts, and a ridiculous, towering synthetic-hair hat that he modeled for us.

TERENCE ALAN SMITH reminded us that the queer uprising was not unique to San Francisco; it flowered simultaneously in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. Terence screened a wonderful excerpt from his interview of Jerome on the Joan Jett Blakk Show at Josie’s Cabaret & Juice Joint. Jerome teeters out onto the stage in skimpy, tattered lingerie. Joan, in tasteful cashmere, interviews Jerome as if they were on the Oprah Winfrey show. Jerome talks about everything from his childhood to having his art stolen from a San Francisco leather bar.

STEVEN MILLER shared several hilarious stories about Jerome. One involved Jerome chasing him around the club and demanding "Come here, you little sex dwarf!" Steven also talked about go-go dancing with Jerome and how he met his current lover through Jerome.

STEVYN POLK’s club Haagen Dazs in the Castro (circa 1988) was a precursor to Screw, Chaos, and Uranus. Steven brought the house down with a very ice-creamy Club Haagen Dazs story about Jerome that is too risqué to mention here. You will have to ask him in person.

LEWIS WALDEN, the man who made much of this possible, joined in the panel discussion. Lewis had no idea what was about to unfold that night.

It was wonderful to have a public forum to acknowledge Lewis and Michael Blue’s seminal contribution to the Art-AIDS-Activism era. Everybody cheered when someone suggested that Lewis start a new club. And most importantly, the ear-to-ear grin on Lewis’s face was priceless!

JESSICA TANZER, a brilliant photographer and activist from San Francisco, said what was on everyone’s hearts and minds — “Thank you, Lewis!”

MICHAEL FLANAGAN eloquently captured the evening with this post on Facebook: “I was reminded of the importance of bearing witness last night at the Bubble Lounges event. A panel member asked how many people had been to the clubs in question (Club Uranus, Club Screw, etc.) and over half of the audience's hands went up. Aside from remembering the good times we are there to remember the impact of our friends, who cannot be there. Their contributions live on in us.”

Anthony Cianciolo & Lewis Walden

Terence Alan Smith & Glen Helfand

The Tiny Bubbles group art show at the SFAC Gallery has been extended for a week, through Saturday, August 26, 2017. The show includes 50 pieces of Jerome Caja’s work. On August 26th, the Arts Commission will hold a special closing-night celebration and procession that honors the original gallery space on Grove Street in the Civic Center. Jerome had a multi-faceted and rich relationship with the SFAC Gallery in both of these spaces. We hope to see you there.

Lastly, thank you Maysoun Wazwaz and Meg Shiffler from the SFAC Gallery for hosting this event. We cannot wait to see the recorded video of the event when it goes live on YouTube.

by Anthony Cianciolo

Rocking Out With Jerome’s Mother Bernardine Caja!

8/7/2017

A big thank you to everyone who helped with the celebration & film shoot!

Monday night’s gathering at the SFAC Gallery was really something special. It was a magical night filled with many familiar faces from Jerome’s old SF stomping grounds (Club Uranus, Chaos & Screw).

The Jerome Project could not have pulled off this lovely party and film shoot without the help of our dedicated friends, supporters, and volunteers. We want to give a big, heartfelt thanks to the following people who were key in welcoming Bernie back to SF and supporting her participation in the documentary film about her beloved son Jerome!

Most importantly, I want to give a very special thank you to Bernie Caja. Thank you you for coming to San Francisco and participating in the documentary film.

Early on I made a promise to Jerome’s family to include them in on ALL things Jerome. Recently, when I was back in Ohio and having a meal with Jerome’s mother, I asked her to come on out and see her son’s work in the Tiny Bubbles exhibition that is on display until August 26th at the SFAC Gallery.

I said — “Bernie, there are 50 pieces of your son’s art on display in San Francisco right now,” — and with a devilish glint in my eye I also said — “Now… there are 5 or 6 pieces that I know are not your cup of tea, BUT there are 45 other pieces you would absolutely love to see! If you want, buy a ticket to come out. I will take care of the rest and get you back to the airport safe and sound.”

I thought this 83-year-old Catholic grandmother from Cleveland would probably not take me up on my offer. She responded, “That is very kind of you, thank you,” and the conversation moved on. Well boy-oh-boy was I wrong about that! Five days later I received an email from Bernie saying she would love to come to San Francisco. I was thrilled that she took me up on my offer and completely terrified of filming her.

Her willingness to come out started an avalanche that moved everything forward. I quickly assembled my crew, I called in all the favors I possibly could, and I started planning the shoot. This was the moment when I knew I was in full swing of production. Everything prior to this point felt like development.

And on top of Bernie's visit, Anna van der Meulen, the executor of Jerome’s estate and dear friend from Cleveland, also said she was coming out for the celebration. This onslaught of Cleveland love and support was completely intoxicating and humbling — thank you Anna!

Last Monday we interviewed Bernie & Anna in conversation about Jerome, his work, and his upbringing. In addition we captured the full day’s events, including Bernie & Anna en route to the gallery, their initial reaction upon seeing the show, and finally the two of them at the party meeting Jerome’s friends and loved ones.

The filming and the event went far beyond my expectations. More than 100 people attended, many of whom also brought artwork from their private collections to share with the public and with Bernie & Anna. The documentary footage we got is absolutely golden — THANK YOU!

We will now be crafting a film excerpt with this new material, and I cannot wait to update you on all of that in the near future.

OX Anthony

Thank you ALL for your love, support & help:

Speakers & Presenters:
Anna van der Meulen
Bernardine Caja
Carl Paganelli
Meg Shiffler
Paul Karlstrom

Film Crew:
Allison Abbate
Bill Weber
Dan Damman
Jesse Dana
Joseph Applebaum
Matthew Riutta
Stu Maddux

Helping Hands:
Anna Paganelli
Barry Lawlor
Derek Boyle
Elena Greenlee
Jason Jakaitis
Laura Wagner
Maysoun Wazwaz
Shawn Case
Texas Star

Champagne & Brownies:
Mission Beach Cafe
Bill Clarke

Loaning Art for the Exhibit:
Bob Smith
David Faulk
Jeff Parker
Jeff Schug
Michael Johnstone
Scott England

Institutional Backing:
Anglim Gilbert Gallery
BAVC
CORE7
SFAC Gallery
SFFILM

Our Tireless Jerome Supporters:
Alvin Orloff
Ashley Pellouchoud
Caroline von Kühn
Curtis Lavery
Dana Jamison
Don Baird
Ed Gilbert
Haluk Kecelioglu
Jacques Savage
Jessica Tanzer
Jim James
Johnny Ray Huston
Kathy O'regan
Lewis Walden
Marc Geller
Matt Flynn
Michael Flanagan
Rick Gerharter
Shannon Trimble
Steven Wolf
Stevyn Polk
Travis Somerville
William Farley
Yvette Kamperin

by Anthony Cianciolo

Celebration with Jerome's Mother at the SFAC Gallery

7/18/2017

MEET JEROME'S MOTHER

Save the date and come celebrate with us on Monday July 31st from 6:00-8:00 PM! Together, let’s all lift a glass in honor of our beloved Jerome and make a toast to his mother, Bernardine Caja. She is coming here from Cleveland, Ohio to see her son’s art at the Tiny Bubbles exhibition at the San Francisco Arts Commission Main Gallery (located at 401 Van Ness Avenue). I am thrilled to announce that The Jerome Project will host and film this special event in honor of her. She has not been here since 1995, so let’s all gather and welcome her back with open arms.

For this private, one-night only affair, we will feature — in addition to the 50 pieces already on display — some very rare Jerome art, ephemera, and memorabilia that you probably have never seen.

Space is limited. Please RSVP directly to us by clicking on the red button below so we can plan accordingly. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. We will also do a brief media presentation introducing our advisors and collaborators, and give an update on the documentary film.

Lastly, in the past whenever I have done similar gallery events, several Jerome lovers and collectors show up out of the blue with an original piece of artwork in hand. I love this! I am encouraging any of you who own some of Jerome’s smaller pieces to please bring them and share them with us. We would love to see them. I know Jerome's mother would also love to see them too.

We look forward to seeing you there — CHEERS!

-Anthony Cianciolo

www.thejeromeproject.com
www.anthonycianicolo.com

JEROME CAJA CELEBRATION
--------------------------------------------------
Reception & Exhibition Details
Monday July 31, 2017 (one night only)
SFAC Main Gallery (Veterans Building)
401 Van Ness, Ste. 126
San Francisco, CA 94102
Hours: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

PLEASE NOTE: This private event will be filmed, and if you do not want to be filmed, just let us know when you arrive. It is our intention to document this moment and showcase it as a celebratory event in the documentary film on Jerome.

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja in TINY BUBBLES Group Art Exhibition

4/23/2017

San Francisco Arts Commission Includes Jerome’s Paintings

Come and check out the new San Francisco Arts Commission exhibition, TINY BUBBLES. This is the newest show to include Jerome Caja’s work, which opens on May 3rd and runs through August 19th at the San Francisco Art Commission Main Gallery (Veterans War Memorial Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue, across the street from City Hall). The group show features nine artists whose work is autobiographical, dark, imaginative, and humorous, and includes approximately 45 of Jerome’s pieces. Many of these Jerome paintings have not been exhibited publicly in decades, if at all. See the details below.

Thank You Steven Wolf, Meg Shiffler & Maysoun Wazwaz

Last month I was thrilled to get a call from Steven Wolf (independent curator & gallerist) asking if I could help locate some of Jerome’s art. Steven has long been a champion and lover of Jerome’s work. He was looking for a wide range of Jerome’s art — tip trays, crinkle paintings, container paintings, reliquaries, etc. — from San Francisco collectors. It was important for Steven to have Jerome in this show.

In addition, I want to give a very special shout out and thank you to both Meg Shiffler (Director of SFAC Galleries) and Maysoun Wazwaz (Manager of Education and Public Programs at SFAC Galleries) for making all the thankless, logistical work that goes into creating a show like Tiny Bubbles.

This has been a really enjoyable and lovely experience and I’m happy The Jerome Project could help with this endeavor!

by Anthony Cianciolo

Painting Detail - by Jerome Caja
Miss Piggy Serving Ham & Eggs
Circa 1990

Tiny Bubbles

TINY BUBBLES: A group exhibition curated by Steven Wolf

Tiny Bubbles is a group exhibition curated by independent curator and former gallerist Steven Wolf. The show features nine artists known for producing dark and often funny narratives set in imaginary worlds filled with characters that mirror their own searches for meaning. "Like bubbles in a glass of champagne, the effect of sharing space with these dramatically different worlds will be one of prickly effervescence," says Wolf.

With projects ranging from a multimedia installation by media and video game artist Porpentine Charity Heartscape to a new video collaboration by regional luminaries J. Otto Seibold and Boots Riley to audio by the anonymous prankster Longmont Potion Castle, Tiny Bubbles is sure to challenge and delight visitors.

EXHIBITION DETAILS
May 3, 2017 through to August 19, 2017
SFAC Main Gallery (Veterans Building)
401 Van Ness, Ste. 126
San Francisco, CA 94102
Hours: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

OPENING RECEPTION
One night only on May 3, 2017
SFAC Main Gallery (Veterans Building)
Hours: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

ARTISTS: Jerome Caja, Lisa Hanawalt, Porpentine Charity Heartscape, Longmont Potion Castle, Megan Reed, Kate Rhoades, J. Otto Seibold and Boots Riley, and V. Vale.

Image Credit: Lisa Hanawalt, Birds Hungry for Worms, 2014.

All SFAC Galleries & exhibitions are free to the public.

Jerome Caja in “The Queer Heroes Coloring Book”

12/4/2016

Check out this playful new addition to the Jerome Caja Repository

Stacked Deck Press just released “The Queer Heroes Coloring Book,” and Jerome Caja is one of the many iconic figures featured (Oscar Wilde, Frida Kahlo, Grace Jones, Marlon Riggs, Keith Harring, Divine, etc.). Artist Justin Hall created a really sweet B&W line drawing inspired by Catherine Opie’s famous 1993 portrait of Jerome.

The Queer Heroes Coloring Book ($15.00 Paperback) – July 29, 2016
by Jon Macy (Author, Editor), Tara Madison Avery (Editor)

"The Queer Heroes Coloring book features 40 true life LGBTQ heroes and icons. The coloring pages are provided by a host of today's most exciting and accomplished queer cartoonists, including Ed Luce, Jennifer Camper, and Howard Cruse. Also included are short bios of the subjects to guide further reading and inform a new generation about LGBTQ history."

Powell’s City of Books: The Queer Heroes Coloring Book
Amazon: The Queer Heroes Coloring Book

The Jerome Caja Repository

The repository is key to the historical preservation aspect of The Jerome Project. We are currently working with art historians to manage the repository and make it available for academic research. If you have anything related to Jerome Caja and are interested in finding a permanent home for your Jerome treasures, consider donating them to our repository. If this interests you, please contact us! For several years now we have been gathering, documenting, photographing, and preserving material related to Jerome (paintings, photos, videos, publications, and artifacts). The Queer Heroes Coloring book, by Jon Macy, is the most recent addition to the hundreds and hundreds of publications already in the repository.

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja in the Art AIDS America Chicago Exhibition

12/1/2016

Today, December 1, 2016, is World AIDS Day, and it is also the opening of the Art AIDS America Chicago Exhibition. This show has now been traveling across the US (Tacoma Art Museum in Washington, Zuckerman Museum of Art in Kennesaw State University of Georgia, and the Bronx Museum of the Arts in New York) with Chicago being it's last scheduled stop.

For this final exhibition, the entire collection will be on display. Within the show are three beautiful Jerome Caja pieces: Bozo Fucks Death, Little Yellow Angels, and Shroud of Curad. If you are in the Chicago area, you should treat yourself to this exquisite show. It is like no other and is more timely than ever. The co-curators, Rock Hushka and Jonathan David Katz, succeeded in doing what no other art museum would risk – taking on a large-scale, uncompromising exhibition on art and AIDS. This is not to be missed!

Bozo Fucks Death, 1988
Nail polish on plastic tray

Little Yellow Angels, 1984-93
Nail polish and mixed media on plastic with artist’s frame

Shroud of Curad, 1993
Blood and eyeliner on bandage with artist’s frame

December 1, 2016 through April 2, 2017
Alphawood Gallery, 2401 North Halsted Street Chicago, Illinois 60614

Free Timed Admission Passes Recommended (click here to register online)

“This groundbreaking exhibition underscores the deep and unforgettable presence of HIV in American art. It introduces and explores the whole spectrum of artistic responses to AIDS, from the politically outspoken to the quietly mournful, surveying works from the early 1980s to the present.”

“Art AIDS America will culminate its national tour at the new Alphawood Gallery, established for this presentation by the Alphawood Foundation, at 2401 North Halsted Street (at Fullerton Avenue). The exhibition – opening on World AIDS Day, Thursday, December 1, and continuing through Sunday, April 2, 2017 – will be free and open to the public.”

Website: Art AIDS America Chicago

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja Paintings in the SFMOMA Collection

11/25/2016

SFMOMA Makes Jerome Caja’s Art Available Online

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has published online images of Jerome Caja's works in its collection. These pieces include several types of the multi-media and nail polish paintings that Jerome is most well known for: tip trays, bottle caps, games & pieces, assemblages, pistachio shells, and crinkle paintings. His signature iconography — fried eggs, fruit bowls, smiley faces, dead birds, drag queens, clowns, and phalluses — is also well represented here.

The last time these pieces were on public display was 2012, just before the museum closed for renovation and expansion. Because of their small size, delicacy, and fragility, they were shown in a large vitrine as part of the group exhibition, “Contemporary Painting, 1960 to the Present — May 18-August 12, 2012.”

SFMOMA’s Jerome Caja Collection

PLEASE NOTE: All these images are the sole and exclusive property of SFMOMA. The gallery on this blog post is strictly for educational and documentation purposes. If you have any further questions regarding copyright to these images, please see SFMOMA’s “Terms of Use” page on their website.

SFMOMA Jerome Caja Gallery: https://www.sfmoma.org/artist/Jerome_Caja
Terms of Use: https://www.sfmoma.org/terms-use
Main Website: https://www.sfmoma.org

by Anthony Cianciolo

In Memory of Jerome Caja on November 3, 2016

11/3/2016

It has been 21 years to the day that Jerome Caja died. God, I miss him.

"Here’s to you Jerome — You have been a source of inspiration from the time I first laid eyes on you. I’ll never forget that moment. It was at Club Uranus on a Sunday night when you hopped up on the bar to go-go dance, flailing away with your signature harsh makeup and skimpy, tattered lingerie that looked like it had been ripped off of a discarded Barbie doll. I was transfixed! This was my first glimpse of a fierce, queer, punk tornado who truly celebrated NOT fitting in!

You made us laugh at a time when HIV & AIDS devastated both our homes and our beloved community. You were a beacon of bizarre, fresh light and a ferocious vanguard during the darkest of times. You had the courage to publicly annihilate every stereotype of masculinity, and you made us look honestly at our own internalized homophobia.

You lived life to the fullest without ever letting fear dictate your actions. You did what you wanted, when you wanted, how you wanted. Thank you for your unapologetic, provocative, creative spirit. Thank you for breaking all those gender taboos and for inspiring us to do the same. And lastly, thank you for creating a masterful body of work that continues to inspire, move, and touch us to this day."

We love and miss you dearly, Jerome!

by Anthony Cianciolo

Brilliant New Essay Featuring Jerome Caja

10/13/2015

Thank you Glen Helfand!

I want to give a special thank you to Glen, who is one of the advisors on The Jerome Project. He has written the insightful essay, "Art AIDS SF: Tales of the City," which is published in the catalog for the "Art AIDS America" show. Glen has a deep understanding of Jerome's place in San Francisco and in contemporary American art. It is an honor to work with him. He has given us golden advice on structuring Jerome's life story in the film.

Here is an excerpt from Glen's essay in the Art AIDS America catalog featuring Jerome Caja:

"In the context of Art AIDS America, at one end of the spectrum is Nayland Blake, whose work is cerebral, playful, and at times arcane, but notably attuned to the metaphorical and actual effects of HIV/AIDS on the city's psyche; on the other is Jerome Caja, whose fetish paintings of scary clowns and skinny drag queens rendered in nail polish are intuitive and dreamlike, evoking a scene out of an eroticized Hieronymus Bosch painting but with figures dressed in ripped fishnets and ornamented with crudely rendered Happy Faces. The works of many other artists can be located at various points between these intellectualized and expressionistic impulses."

University of Washington Press
Art AIDS America by Jonathan Katz and Rock Hushka
$45.00 Hardcover (ISBN 978-0-295-99494-9)
Published: December 2015
Subject Listing: Art History ; Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Bibliographic information: 288 pp., 200 color illus., 8.25 x 10.5 in.
Published with: Tacoma Art Museum

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja in "Art AIDS America" Group Exhibition

10/10/2015

Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) takes the risk that most museums won't.

Rock Hushka (Co-curator of Art AIDS America), Stephanie Stebich (Executive Director of TAM), and Jonathan David Katz (Co-curator of Art AIDS America) prove that a large exhibition dedicated to HIV/AIDS in American art has a powerful appeal. Together, they worked for more than a decade to gather 100+ extraordinary pieces in this show. Hundreds showed up for the opening night reception, and the next day Jonathan gave an insightful talk to a packed house. This show takes us past the decades of trauma to illustrate how HIV/AIDS fundamentally changed American art.

Thank you Rock, Stephanie, and Jonathan for including Jerome Caja's paintings (Bozo Fucks Death, Little Yellow Angels, Shroud of Curad) in the exhibition. You are doing what most museums won't: you are displaying provocative works by Jerome that have rarely been exhibited in public. This broad visibility is what Jerome always strived for.

The picture gallery here highlights some of the artwork in the exhibition on opening weekend.

TOUR SCHEDULE:
Tacoma Art Museum, Washington
October 3, 2015 − January 10, 2016
Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw State University, Georgia
February 20, 2016 – May 22, 2016
Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York
June 23, 2016 – September 11, 2016
To Be Determined, Chicago
Winter of 2016 – 2017

Website: Art AIDS America
Media Release: Art AIDS America
LOOP Magazine Article: AIDS' Impact On American Art Is Apparently Still Taboo by Christopher Treacy

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja's Art Travels Across the US in 2015 & 2016

10/2/2015

Powerful new group exhibition: "Art AIDS America"

Last year I was contacted by Jonathan David Katz and Rock Hushka, the curators of the "Art AIDS America" exhibition. They were having a terrible time trying to locate a specific Jerome Caja painting (Bozo Fucks Death). They spent almost two years searching with no luck. Well, with a little help from Paule Anglim and myself, we were able to locate this painting and help get it into the "Art AIDS America" exhibition. This is the largest exhibition of its kind. After a preview in West Hollywood, it opens at the Tacoma Art Museum on October 3, 2015, before traveling to Georgia, the Bronx, and Chicago (see details below).

I am also pleased to announce that Jonathan Katz is one of The Jerome Project's key art advisors. Jonathan is a veteran queer academic who rounds out our board. He is the Director of the Visual Studies Doctoral Program at the University at Buffalo (The State University of New York), and is the president of the board of directors of the Leslie + Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New York City. He has done great work nationwide keeping Jerome's spirit alive. Jonathan curated several group shows over the years, many of which have included Jerome's work. Thank you Jonathan!

"Art AIDS America"

"This groundbreaking exhibition underscores the deep and unforgettable presence of HIV in American art. It introduces and explores the whole spectrum of artistic responses to AIDS, from the politically outspoken to the quietly mournful, surveying works from the early 1980s to the present."

"Art AIDS America" is organized by The Tacoma Art Museum in partnership with The Bronx Museum of the Arts, and co-curated by Jonathan David Katz, Director, Visual Studies Doctoral Program at the University at Buffalo (The State University of New York), and Rock Hushka, Chief Curator at Tacoma Art Museum. Generous support provided by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, and Gilead Sciences, Inc. The presentation of the preview exhibition Art AIDS America was made possible by the City of West Hollywood and The David Geffen Foundation."

TOUR SCHEDULE:

Tacoma Art Museum, Washington
October 3, 2015 − January 10, 2016
Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw, Georgia
February 20, 2016 – May 22, 2016
Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York
June 23, 2016 – September 11, 2016
To Be Determined, Chicago
Winter of 2016 – 2017

RELATED LINKS:

Website: Art AIDS America
Media Release: Art AIDS America
LOOP Magazine: AIDS' Impact On American Art Is Apparently Still Taboo -- by Christopher Treacy

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja, Bozo Fucks Death (detail)
(nail polish and white out on tip tray)
Excerpted from: Jerome After the Pageant
7 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 1/2 in., 1988

Jerome Caja, Little Yellow Angels
(nail polish and enamel on tray)
Excerpted from: Jerome After the Pageant
11 x 5 in. (oval tray), Unknown date

Jerome Caja, Shroud of Curad
(nail polish, white out, & blood on bandage)
courtesy of Jeff Parker
7 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 1/2 in., 1988

The Jerome Project Advisory Board

9/21/2015

Distinguished panel of advisors helps guide The Jerome Project.

I am so proud to announce our advisory board and their unique relationship to Jerome Caja. Large art history projects like ours rely heavily on veteran filmmakers, art historians, and curators in the contemporary art world to help guide and shape them for success.

I could not be doing this without their help, and the support of the Jerome Caja Estate. I also want to give a special shout-out and thank you to Paul Karlstrom who was instrumental in putting this board together.

Thank you everyone!

"Photograph" - by Anna van der Meulen
Single image from the “Hey Honey book”
February 1983, 18in x 12in

Principal Advisors

Allison Abbate - Film Producer, Director, Writer
BAFTA-Award winning producer of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Iron Giant, and The Lego Movie, Allison brings a wealth of filmmaking experience to our table. As someone who did not know Jerome personally, her participation allows us to ensure the least biased view of Jerome, and thereby reach the widest possible audience.

Ed Gilbert - Director of Anglim Gilbert Gallery
Anglim Gilbert Gallery (formerly known as Gallery Paule Anglim) in San Francisco has been a critical supporter of Jerome’s work, representing him since the early 1990s. Ed served on the board of the Headlands Center for the Arts, and as Board President of Southern Exposure Gallery, in addition to regularly advising emerging artists.

Paul Karlstrom - Independent Art Writer, Oral Historian, Biographer
As West Coast Regional Director at the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art from 1973 – 2003, Paul interviewed Jerome in 1995 as part of the West Coast oral history compilation. He was solely responsible for the Smithsonian being the first major institution to make a lasting commitment to Jerome.

Jonathan Katz - Curator, Writer, Associate Professor, Art Historian
Director of the visual studies doctoral program, State University of New York-Buffalo. Jonathan founded and directed the Larry Kramer Initiative for Lesbian and Gay studies at Yale University. He is president of the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New York. In addition, he has curated two large group shows that include Jerome's work: Hide/Seek at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C, and Art AIDS America, a new exhibition that will travel across the country in 2015 through 2017.

Advisors

Julie Blankenship - Nonprofit Leader & Director, Curator, Educator, Artist
Executive Director of Visual Aid and its gallery, a social justice organization that supports artists with life-threatening illnesses. Like Jerome, Julie went to the San Francisco Art Institute. She also founded the Jerome Caja Terrible Beauty Award, which was given to outstanding Visual Aid artists.

Daniell Cornell - Curator, Art Critic
Daniell is the Donna and Cargill MacMillan Jr., Director of Art at the Palm Springs Art Museum. He was introduced to Jerome’s work through Visual Aid and while helping to open the San Francisco Queer Cultural Center gallery in 2004/5.

Craig Corpora - Art Historian, Department Assistant at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Wrote his thesis on Jerome at San Francisco State University and has published articles about Jerome for GLBTQ.com and the Smithsonian Archives of American Art website. He works in the Department of Painting and Sculpture at SFMOMA.

William Farley - Film Director, Lecturer, Associate Professor
Award-winning veteran filmmaker and director of Plastic Man: The Artful Life of Jerry Ross Barrish; Shadow and Light: The Life and Art of Elaine Badgley Arnoux; and many others. He has been making films since the 1970s.

Glen Helfand - Writer, Critic, Curator,Teacher
Glen has curated exhibitions for the M.H. de Young Museum in San Francisco, the San Jose Museum of Art, and many alternative and commercial gallery spaces. He taught contemporary art at California College of the Arts, San Francisco State University, Mills College, and the San Francisco Art Institute. Glen has also written the essay, "Art AIDS SF: Tales of the City," which features Jerome and is published in the catalog for the "Art AIDS America" show.

Jim Hubbard - Activist, Documentary Filmmaker
Director of the documentary film United in Anger: A History of ACT UP, A MacDowell Diary, Memento Mori, and many other films since 1974. He also co-created the ACT UP Oral History Project, which is a benchmark for the Jerome Project.

Adam Klein - Writer, Lecturer, Singer-songwriter for the band The Size Queens
Award-winning author and educator. Adam was a close friend of Jerome’s. He co-wrote the monograph “Jerome: After the Pageant,” and wrote the essay on Jerome, “The New Eyes,” which was published in Life Sentences: Writers, Artists, and AIDS. Adam also co-curated the largest exhibition on Jerome, Odyssey and Underworld.

Peter Selz - Professor Emeritus at UC Berkeley, Art Historian
Curator of Modern Painting and Sculpture at MOMA, New York (1958 – 1965) and founding director of the University Art Museum, UC Berkeley. He is also the author of Art of Engagement: Visual Politics in California and Beyond, which discusses Jerome's art. Peter is a pioneering historian of modern art who had close relationships with such major art figures as Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Christo, and many others.

David Weissman - Film Director, Producer, Lecturer, Activist
Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker, teacher, film programmer, public speaker, and longtime activist. He is best known as producer of the acclaimed documentaries, We Were Here (2011) and The Cockettes (2002). He was also a close friend of Jerome's and filmed Jerome for his short titled Complaints.

by Anthony Cianciolo

Original Jerome Caja Painting Added to Auction

9/20/2015

Anglim Gilbert Gallery donates "Little Black Portrait" from Jerome's estate.

Now is your chance! If you ever wanted to own an original painting by Jerome Caja and support one of San Francisco's great independent arts organizations, then join in the online bidding (Paddle8: "Little Black Portrait" by Jerome Caja). This is a recent addition to the San Francisco Cinematheque's art auction and can be found on the Paddle8 website, which is currently accepting bids. The final sale will close during a silent auction this Saturday night, September 26th, at the Center for New Music in San Francisco.

Description, History, and Provenance

"Little Black Portrait" is a small black and white portrait of a man painted on a torn scrap of paper. The man appears in profile with his index finger pointing up. The piece was mounted by Jerome himself under glass in a simple wood frame. It was part of Jerome's personal art collection that he kept in his home. After his death in November 1995, the Jerome Caja Estate consigned it to Gallery Paule Anglim, which is now called the Anglim Gilbert Gallery. The starting bid is set at $1,000, with an estimated value at $2,500. The beauty of this piece is in its tenderness. Jerome painted hundreds of tiny intimate portraits on paper or bottle-caps, some which were family and friends, and many were simply interesting faces. Rarely did he frame them like this one. The subject of this piece is unknown.

Lastly, Shannon Trimble, Manager of Anglim Gilbert Gallery, personally selected this piece for the auction. As he so eloquently puts it, "The man in this piece -- another of Jerome's many saints -- appears to be pointing towards heaven."

Paddle8 Online Bidding Now:
Jerome Caja painting "Little Black Portrait"

SILENT AUCTION SHOW & RECEPTION
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Starts at 7:00 pm

CENTER FOR NEW MUSIC
55 Taylor Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

TICKET INFORMATION
$20 general admission
$15 for Cinematheque members
Advance tickets available here.
Join our Facebook event.

by Anthony Cianciolo

"Little Black Portrait" - by Jerome Caja
Gouache & white-out on paper
Frame: 11.75 x 9.25 x 0.75 in
Artwork: 2.5 x 2.25

"Little Black Portrait" (detail) - by Jerome
Gouache & white-out on paper
Artwork: 2.5 x 2.25

Thank you, Shannon Trimble!

Framing Jerome Caja for Auction

9/18/2015

Thank you Sabrina & Megan at City Picture Frame in San Francisco!

We just put together the very first production run of Anna van der Meulen's 35mm color slide prints of Jerome in Cleveland. It is titled Triptych from the "3304 St. Clair Series." Anna and I collaborated together in designing the layout. We had the images printed up on aluminum and float-mounted them in a white shadowbox with UV-protection glass. It is stunning! This piece will be the first in a series of fifty, and it will be in the San Francisco Cinematheque Art Auction (Online Bidding: Jerome Caja Triptych) presented by Paddle8. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the sale of this piece will support The Jerome Project, and the purchaser of this piece will get a special thank-you credit in the documentary film on Jerome Caja. When the online auction ends at 3:00 pm on September 25th, it transfers to a silent auction held at the Center For New Music on September 26th at 7:00 pm.

I also want to give a big shout out to City Picture Frame. They were wonderful to work with, especially because I was under a tight two-week deadline to deliver this piece in time for the auction. Sabrina's design suggestions were spot on, and her co-worker, Megan also helped with all the last minute wrap-ups. This is the first time I have ever produced a professional production run of Jerome photographs and City Picture Frame is now going to be my go-to framing house.

Thank you City Picture Frame!

Website: City Picture Frame
Website: Paddle8 Auction for the SF Cinematheque
Auction Artwork: Triptych from the "3304 St. Clair Series"

by Anthony Cianciolo

The Jerome Project Receives Another FilmHouse Residency

9/14/2015

The San Francisco Film Society (SFFS) Continues to Support Jerome Caja!

Check out the recently published online Indiewire Exclusive (SF Film Society Awards Residencies to New Filmmakers) announcing the new FilmHouse awards. The Jerome Project is one of the recipients! Two years ago we were awarded the one-year FilmHouse residency, after that we were awarded a one-year anchor tenant position at FIlmHouse, and now we have been given a one-year Flex-Use tenant position. This new residency will take place in the FilmHouse location on Broadway in North Beach in the old World Theater building.

It is so important to have community around you to share your accomplishments and struggles. One of the biggest challenges documentary filmmakers face is the years of extensive development that can leave directors feel like they are enclosed in a vacuum. A residency program puts working filmmakers under one roof to expose each other to those daily hurdles and shared experiences. The multiple residencies at SFFS have been crucial for The Jerome Project by allowing outside perspectives to enhance its development. At FilmHouse we found a safe space to hold meetings, host events, and participate in many in-house workshops, peer-to-peer presentations, and continuing education classes.

Again, thank you SFFS. Your support is golden!

Indiewire Exclusive Article by Ruben Guevara:
SF Film Society Awards Residencies to New Filmmakers

SFFS Official Website:
San Francisco FIlm Society

SFFS Residency Programs:
Filmmaker360 Film House

SFFS Filmmaker360 Donation Page:
The Jerome Project

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja Performing at Club Chaos & Club Uranus

9/14/2015

Lewis Walden & Michael Blue set the stage for Jerome Caja!

During the late 80's and early 90's, Lewis and Michael were the hottest San Francisco DJ's and club promoters (Crystal Pistol & The EndUp). They were the creators of the infamous Club Chaos and Club Uranus.

Uranus happened every Sunday night at the End-Up and would attract a crowd that religiously lined up out the door and around the corner. It was church for the freaks: punks, activists, artists, trans-genders, and queers all reveling in an evening of misfit debauchery. This was the place to dance, cruise, hang out, and celebrate life. It was also the birthplace of the "Miss Uranus Pageant" and other performance spectacles. Jerome was its reigning queen. He would perform outrageous drag numbers in his signature spastic go-go style. Club Uranus was the epicenter of San Francisco’s underground counter-culture art at that time.

Back in December of 2014, shortly after publicly launching The Jerome Project website at a fundraiser art show at Gallery Paule Anglim, Lewis posted a lovely collection of his club flyers on Facebook. His posts inspired others to do the same. Here is a sample of those flyers. If you get a chance, scroll through his Facebook feed (FB: Lewis Walden). It is a trip down memory lane of 90’s San Francisco.

Thank you Lewis and everybody else for posting these historic queer club gems!

Club Uranus & Chaos Flyers
Excerpted from Lewis's FB page

Facebook: Lewis Walden IV
Website: The EndUp

by Anthony Cianciolo

Rena vs Jerome in High-Heeled Wrestling

9/8/2015

Thank you Mark Bowes & Michael Johnstone

Here is a fabulous slice of San Francisco queer counterculture history at its finest -- American High Heeled Wrestling between Rena McDonald (Adam Klein) and Jerome Caja! This infamous drag event was an ACT-UP benefit for Prevention Point at 1015 Folsom on Wednesday, January 24th, 1990. This event was also shot on VHS. I have a digitized copy of the taped event that is unfortunately not in great condition, but it might be the only record we have of it.

As far as I know, this is the only printed documentation of the event. If anybody knows of other coverage or has pictures from this event, please contact us. We would like to document what you have and add it to the digital catalogue raisonné. This is the type of rare documentation that we want to try to include in the documentary film.

Again, thank you Mark Bowes for saving and scanning this fabulous flyer, and a very special thank you to Michael Johnstone (Verasphere) for posting and sharing these INCREDIBLE B&W photos of the event. These are extremely rare images and we are thrilled that you were able to salvage your negatives and get good digital images of them.

Special Thank You Credits

Facebook: Mark Bowes
Facebook: Michael Stone
Facebook: Jerome Caja Shrine

by Anthony Cianciolo

Excerpted from the Jerome Caja Shrine FB Page
Posted by Mark Bowes

Jerome Caja in Poultry Drag

9/8/2015

Thank you Les Hanson and Jim James!

These are two great photos of Jerome prancing around in poultry drag at the 1990 Folsom Street Fair. Jerome created these handmade papier-mâché orange duck feet pumps and feathered lingerie illustrating his unique drag couture. The B&W photo by Jim James was published in Adam Klein & Thomas Avena's monograph, Jerome: After the Pageant.

I will add these marvelous gems to the digital catalogue raisonné.

by Anthony Cianciolo

Charles Devouring Himself by Jerome Caja

9/3/2015

An Homage to Francisco Goya & Charles Sexton

In order to fully appreciate this painting, context is needed about Jerome Caja and Charles Sexton. In the late 80's both men studied art together at the San Francisco Art Institute and became friends. Living with HIV prompted both artists to enter into a pact. Their commitment was that whoever was the "Loser in Life" had to bequeath his ashes to the survivor to be used for art. Charles was the first to go. Jerome then spent two years mixing nail polish with Charles' ashes and created a large body of artwork. Jerome gave many of these pieces to Charles' family and friends as personal reliquaries.

Jerome is often miscategorized as an outsider artist. In reality, he is a classically trained insider artist who went to several art schools. An avid museum patron, Jerome revered the masters and referenced their art in his own. "Charles Devouring Himself" is a good example of Jerome's reworking of a classic painting by Goya. The painting was exhibited in the "Remains of the Day" show at Southern Exposure Gallery in San Francisco and the "Hide/Seek" show at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.

"Charles Devouring Himself" - by Jerome Caja
(ash, resin, and nail polish on aluminum tray)
Excerpted from: Jerome After the Pageant
8 1/2 in. diameter x 1 in. deep, 1991

"Saturn Devouring His Son" - by Francisco Goya
(oil mural transferred to canvas)
143cm x 81cm. 1819–1823
Museo del Prado, Madrid

Smithsonian Archives of American Art: Charles Fred Sexton papers, 1956-1992

by Anthony Cianciolo

StarLab Chinese Movie Studio Seeks Out Jerome Caja

9/2/2015

Thank you Summer Jiang at StarLab China

In early September, StarLab Movie Studio from Guangzhou, China, interviewed me for two hours about Jerome Caja, his art, and the documentary film I am making about him. Summer Jiang conducted the interview at my home office where she could see the scope of the Jerome archives. We talked about what was involved in setting up The Jerome Project and my progress in producing the film. I am thrilled that a Chinese audience will now get a chance to know about Jerome.

Summer Jiang is a writer and photographer. She graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism, moved to Washington, D.C. and worked for NGOs and magazines such as the Washington Monthly. She is now an art student living in the Bay Area.

Thanks again Summer. It was an honor to participate, and I know that Jerome would have been tickled pink knowing that he is going to be featured in Chinese media. I will keep everyone posted when the interview is published on WeChat in November 2015.

LinkedIn Profile: Summer Jiang

by Anthony Cianciolo

Jerome Caja, Miss Kitty & Arturo Galster

8/26/2015

Barbara Liu McDowell -- "3 Queens who inspire me to make the most out of this life!"

Thank you Barbara for all the lovely gifts you have given to The Jerome Project. This fabulous picture is being documented and preserved in the Jerome Caja Digital catalogue raisonné. These three great queens are San Francisco drag legends. They made us laugh during dark times in the late 80's early 90's. I also want to thank you for donating Jerome's childhood orange baseball jersey that was in Arturo's possession before he passed. It is people like you, Barbara, that remind me why I am making a documentary on Jerome. You love irreverent drag culture as an art form and you have dedicated your life to art!

Check out Barbara's Facebook page -- it is inspiring and loaded with great pictures!

Facebook: Barbara Liu McDowell
LinkedIn: Barbara Liu McDowell

by Anthony Cianciolo

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