Signs of a struggle – Guy James Whitworth

Signs of a struggle illustrates the creative journey, from working-class North East England to the current Queer-art scene of Sydney, through the eyes of award-winning artist Guy James Whitworth.

Traditionally, with a debut publication, it’s customary to release an easy to classify book, however echoing his unique, non-conformist art practice, Whitworth has chosen to do things a little differently and strikes out with a book both uncompromising and rare.

Signs of a struggle isn’t just a tell-all autobiography, a series of social-commentary essays, or even a ‘how to paint’ manual, but something enchantingly in-between and including all these things. Using his brightly coloured portraits of Sydney’s LGBTQI communities to build a who’s who of activists and revolutionaries, Whitworth also uses these visual images as a metaphor in which to contemplate modern life’s challenges and triumphs.

“I think we spent too long battling the side-effects and outcomes of greed, to me the opposite of greed is creativeness. I think every now and then we all need an art lesson and a good talking to about creativity. In times when world leaders fail us, traditionally people turn to artists to reflect social truths,” says Whitworth. “We live in a time when creative thinking and good guidance isn’t just essential it’s going to make the difference between whether or not we live or die, or even make bad shoe choices. We have to choose our influences very carefully!”

detail: 12 People who will never sit next to me again. Guy James Whitworth

With dramatic backdrops including a troubled childhood, 80’s London in the midst of the Aids crisis and directing activism for a global transformation in the modern world, the reader is taken on an often intimate, raucous and also poignant journey though survival, masculinity, queerdom and creativity.

Available now on Amazon and other online outlets through Lightning Source. Also available as ebook

Copies available at Hares & Hyenas bookshop.

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