Charles Leslie (art collector)

Charles Leslie is an American art collector, gay rights activist and founder of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art.[1]

Charles Leslie
Born
Deadwood, South Dakota. United States

Biography

Charles Leslie was born in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Leslie's was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, during the Korean War. In Heidelberg, he first met with the works of sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld. After he was released from duty, Leslie toured Europe with the Lotte Goslar Pantomime Circus for a few years. Afterwards he enrolled in the Sorbonne. When Leslie returned to the United States, he joined the touring production of Tennessee Williams’s Suddenly Last Summer play.[2]

Charles Leslie met Fritz Lohman (1922–2009) in 1962. Leslie was a performance artist at that time. They were introduced to each other at a brunch with friends.[3][4] Charles Leslie and Fritz Lohman, held their first homoerotic art show in their SoHo loft in May of 1969.[5] Since then their loft is called "Phallus Palace".[6]

Fritz Lohman passed away at the age of 87 in 2010.[2]

Literature

Dr. Clarke, Kevin (May 1, 2015). The Art of Looking: The Life and Treasures of Collector Charles Leslie. Bruno Gmuender. ISBN 9783867877633.

References
  1. "SoHo, Manhattan: Charles Leslie, Founder of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, at the Museum". AIA New York.
  2. Ryan, Hugh. "What it Took to Create the World's First Gay Art Museum". The Smithsonian Magazine.
  3. Compton, Julie. "How One Romance Saved 50 Years of LGBTQ Art". NBC News.
  4. Cooper, Leah Faye. "Inside An NYC Apartment With A Most Unusual Art Collection". Coveteur.
  5. Charles and Fritz invited some people to see their art collection in 1969 and while they expected around 50 guests, they finally got 200 visitor. This originated the idea for the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, which was the first LGBTQ+ art museum in the world. Leslie and Lohman opened the museum in 1987 on Wooster Street, not far from their home. Strauss, Alix (June 21, 2019). "How a Self-Taught Art Curator Became a Gay Rights Champion". The New York Times.
  6. Fiore, Julia (Dec 13, 2018). "Inside the "Phallus Palace," Charles Leslie's Trove of Queer Art". Artsy.
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