Tell Me if the Lovers Are Losers

North Carolina Museum of Art Winston-Salem

October 17 - December 29 2024

Tell Me if the Lovers Are Losers presents the work of Los Angeles–based artist John Brooks (b. 1978). The gathering of vigorous paintings, drawings, and their diverse subjects form a conceptual exploration of the nuanced experiences within queer communities. Influenced by the daring art of early-20th-century German expressionists, American poets like Carl Sandburg, and iconic figures such as James Baldwin and Marlene Dietrich, Brooks amplifies the enduring spirit of those who defy societal norms through invigorating forms and contexts.

Growing up in central Kentucky during the 1980s and ‘90s, Brooks showed an early interest in art but lacked a familial tradition to engage with it. After he made a begrudging attempt at professional golf and completed his studies at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, his path shifted with a move to London in 2005. Immersed in the city’s rich artistic heritage, Brooks underwent a transformative period of introspection and creative exploration, fully embracing his intuition as an artist.

Today Brooks creates works that blend his personal history with cultural critique. Resisting a strictly narrative approach, he employs vibrant, expressive brushwork to craft alluring and contemplative compositions wherein historical and contemporary figures appear side by side. This union of temporalities carves a queer space through the disruption of time. Moreover, Brooks highlights his subjects’ kinship as part of a queer and rebellious diaspora, while integrating those from diverse backgrounds and experiences to reveal the myriad intersections within.

Jared Ledesma, Curator of 20th-Century Art and Contemporary Art