Queer Pollen

This book presents a nuanced exploration of black queer desire through the works of Richard Bruce Nugent, James Baldwin, and Marlon Riggs in Queer Pollen.

In Queer Pollen, David A. Gerstner explores the intricate landscape of black queer desire through the lens of three influential twentieth-century artists: Richard Bruce Nugent, James Baldwin, and Marlon Riggs. Each artist utilized their respective mediums—painting, literature, and film—to navigate and articulate their experiences as queer black men. Gerstner highlights the significance of their contributions, shedding light on how they confronted the complexities of identity and desire in a society often dominated by white ideologies.

The book delves into the challenges these artists faced when expressing queer black desire through traditional art forms, such as poetry and visual arts, as well as the industrial medium of cinema. Gerstner's analysis reveals how the intersections of race and sexuality complicate the narratives surrounding black queer identity. By examining the works of Nugent, Baldwin, and Riggs, he uncovers the seductive power of white queer cultures and the ways these artists resisted being defined solely by those frameworks.

Queer Pollen ultimately articulates a rich cinematic aesthetic that transcends conventional boundaries. It captures the essence of the queer black body in relation to various critical themes, including race, gender, sexuality, and mortality. Through this exploration, Gerstner not only honors the legacies of these artists but also invites readers to reconsider the limitations imposed by societal classifications of identity and desire.