Inspired by Flemish and Christian Orthodox paintings, Queer Icons gives visibility to a community that is often underrepresented in the art world. The subjects in this series are drawn from many facets of the gender and queer spectrum Gabriel García Román began this series in 2016 to elevate these multidimensional, powerful, and proud contemporary figures. From the queer Latina fighting for immigration rights to the non-binary disabled Trans Filipino, García Román perceived these figures as heroes, worthy of attention, emulation, and storytelling. Applying a chine-collé technique to the photogravure process, García Román transmutes his models into icons, dovetailing textured collage and photography into one-of-a-kind prints. Much like traditional religious paintings conferred a sense of safety and meditative calm to their viewers, the works in this series aspire to provide a similar sense of refuge drawn from the inner grace of the subjects

The artist has invited his models to partake in the creative process by contributing writings of their own. These handwritten texts become an essential part of the composition, surrounding the subjects with their musings, poems, and affirmations By screen printing the text in each icon, García Román affords the viewer a glimpse into their mind and sensibilities, further reinforcing their centrality in this series.

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