Artist Profile Theodore Golden

Golden’s radiant, gilded tableau enshrines queer becoming in splendor and light.

Artist Statement

I am fascinated by Renaissance and Baroque artists who transformed empty rooms into sacred spaces through storytelling. What separates the sacred from the profane, and how does one evoke divinity within a painting? As a queer transgender man, I am often seen as an example of the profane—something unnatural and unworthy of the divine—but what is the divine if not something deeply unnatural? These ideas drive my artistic practice: through a mix of religious, mythological, and surrealist imagery, I explore why we worship and revere the unnatural while demonizing, scapegoating, and fearing the transgender and queer community.

Altarpiece is a repainted Catholic altar that encourages the viewer to regard the trans body with saintly reverence and respect. The text at the base of the piece is a play on the Latin phrase “tempus fugit, memento mori”—meaning “time is fleeting, remember death”—a mantra used in Catholic artwork to inspire fear and remind the viewer of their mortality.

In contrast, “tempus fugit, memento vivere” translates to “time is fleeting, remember to live.” This revised mantra encourages the viewer, particularly my trans and queer siblings, to live authentically and fully with the time we are given, even in the face of fear, prejudice, and persecution.

Artist Biography

Theodore Golden is a queer multimedia artist and tattooer currently living and working in Brooklyn, NY, with his husband, two cats, and dog. His work explores queer identity and experience through the lens of mythological and theological iconography. He is inspired by fantastical illustrations, folk and fringe art, art history, and the stories told by queer elders and community members.