Behind the Artwork with Scott Csoke
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A sharp, stylized focus permeates all aspects of painter Scott Csoke’s life. Just one look at their enviable Brooklyn apartment, with walls hand-painted to mimic bright pink moldings, shows their historical aesthetic doesn’t purely live on canvas. This colorful spin on tradition bursts through each of Scott’s collectible paintings and is exactly why we chose them to help spread cheer for a charitable cause.
We’ve partnered to offer Scott’s framed print, Antique Gay Classical Horse Painting (1845) , with sale proceeds benefiting Public Art Fund. Learn all about the artwork and its message below.
Q. What would you like people to know about your art?
A. I put older art, historical paintings, into a new context. A lot of my work deals with my queerness, how I identify, and how I present myself. I’m trying to talk about complicated things but make it a little bit cheeky. Most people describe my work as happy or playful. And though I use a lot of bright colors, it's not explicitly about being happy.
Q. Why the focus on animals lately?
A. There has not been a lot of grace or allowance for things to be perceived as queer that are not strictly gay men in art. I like bringing in other symbols. The horse can represent queerness or gay culture. I also love how dramatic old Baroque paintings are. A lot of people had them done to show they were rich enough to have a painting of the horse they own. I think taking that and making something a little bit funnier is what I've been doing with these works.
Q. What is the significance of the rainbow in your works?
A. The rainbow goes back to my first solo show. I had been interviewed and asked: “What is it like to make gay paintings?” I thought it was a silly question because I don't think the same question would be posed to a straight painter. The rainbow is my way of responding to that. If you want me to make a gay painting, then I’m going to put this rainbow on it, and it’s going to be a gay painting. It still feels very personal to me and appropriate.
“You can spend a lot of time editing yourself but the most important thing is just listen to yourself as well.”