Trans Myth: A Conversation about the Modern History of Gender Non-conforming Art

Trans Myth: A Modern History of Gender Non-Conforming Art” is a lecture by Artist in Residence Holland Fox, a 2025 UCLA graduate in the departments of Art and Art History. The lecture focuses on modern and contemporary painting, photography, and performance that highlights the experience of transgender and non-binary people. It features work from Frida Kahlo, Claude Cahun, Nan Goldin, Gluck, and many others.  This talk was motivated by the recent erasure of trans lives by the current administration and the need for an expansive and academic canon for gender non-conforming art. 

About the Artist

Originally from Costa Mesa and currently based in Los Angeles, Holland Fox (they/them) is an artist whose work centers on the intersections of gender identity and sexual politics. Through painting and self-portraiture, the practice examines personal and political narratives with both vulnerability and precision. Fox's exhibitions include the New Weight Gallery and the Little Gallery at UCLA. Recognition includes the UCLA Department of Art Scholarship, the Carolyn D. Smith Scholarship, the UCLA Library Art Prize, and second place in the UCLA Hillel Art Competition. They are currently pursuing a B.A. in Studio Art and Art History at the University of California, Los Angeles.