David McDiarmid arrested outside the ABC studios, Sydney 1972. He was the first person to be arrested in Australia demonstrating as a Gay Liberation activist for gay civil rights.
Photo: John Storey
An extensive retrospective survey of the work of queer artist, designer and gay activist David McDiarmid (1952-1995) was presented at the National Gallery of Victoria in 2014, with Sally Gray as Guest Curator. McDiarmid’s interdisciplinary practice encompassed contemporary art; fashion; graphic design; installation; craft; painted interior schemes and agitprop work for Gay Liberation. He worked on early Gay Lib publications, was a Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras artist and creative director, and designed numerous posters promoting gay rights; queer dance parties and events, and AIDS safe sex campaigns. His work is held in all state and national art museums, and many private collections, in Australia and several internationally.
Reviews
Sonia Harford (2014) “Rainbow retrospective of artist’s sardonic tributes to Australiana” Sydney Morning Herald May 9 2014
Daniel Mudie Cunningham, (2014) “When This You See Remember Me: David McDiarmid at the NGV”, Art Monthly Australia, Issue 273, Sept 2014
Robert Nelson (2014) “David McDiarmid’s erotic medium conveys his potent message”, The Sydney Morning Herald, Aug 5 2014
Marcus O’Donnell (2014) “From camp to gay to queer: David McDiarmid HIV/AIDS art”, The Conversation, Auf 26 2014
Maura Edmond (2014) “David McDiarmid: When This You See Remember Me”, Primer, May 30 2014
Margaret Mayhew (2014) “When This You See Remember Me: David McDiarmid”, Artlink, Sept 2014
Trude Elliingson (2014) “Plastics In art No. 1” NGV Blog, Jul 22 2014
Sandi Mitchell (20014) “Plastics in Art No 2.” NGV Blog, Aug 19 2014
Helen Casey (2014) “Plastics in Art No 3.”, NGV Blog, Aug 21 2014
Matt Hurst (2014) “David McDiarmid: When This You See Remember Me”, Open Journal, Aug 2014
Jordon Christodolou (2014) “David McDiarmid: Shaking things up at the NGV”, Couturing, May14, 2014
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