James Gobel is a West Coast artist whose work celebrates the sensuality of burly men. In this work, his choice
of material draws attention to male body hair using humor and kitsch. Gobel’s fuzzy textured fabrics appeal to
our sense of touch, evoking the playfulness of stuffed toys and the innocence of a child’s perspective.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gobel worked from photos to create portraits in cut felt and yarn of rugged
gay men. In a nod to 1970s feminist artists preceding him, these pieces rely on handicraft aesthetics to reclaim
the “male body” while asserting a queer perspective. With its synthetic materials and contemporary view of
gender and sexuality, Gobel's work expands two areas of the museum’s collection: portraiture and textiles.

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

• Legacy Traces , 1/18/2024 - 6/22/2024

This object is a member of the following portfolios: