REPLAY: John Thomas Paradiso | Exotic Embroiderings [NX011]

It's the school summer holidays and I'm taking a break. So instead of new chats, I'm replaying some of my old favourites! This is a repeat of episode #11. In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview John Thomas Paradiso.John Thomas Paradiso is a Washington-based artist who has been exploring the intimacy of gay culture through needlework for over 30 years.Using hand embroidered quilting techniques, working on surfaces including leather and suede, and using traditional materials like doilies to mask the graphic parts of his subjects, John’s work treads the line between pornography and personal portraiture. His art is unapologetic in its openness and his expressions of the passion of gay love are both sensitive and sensational.In our NeedleXChange we talk about how John’s artistic career has run alongside the timeline of the HIV pandemic, the value in re-appropriating homophobic slurs, and how his art has defined his own queer identity.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:38 - John’s award winning piece- The Prince of Pansies00:07:00 - John’s early photography work00:10:20 - How John’s work ran alongside the AIDS epidemic00:13:00 - The current state of HIV & AIDS00:15:24 - John’s transition into textiles00:20:24 - The power of pansies00:22:00 - Reclaiming slurs00:26:45 - How textiles makes graphic work easier to consumeLinks:Website: john-paradiso.comInstagram: john_paradiso_artistIntro music is Let's Go Find The Sun by Sarah the Illstrumentalist via Epidemic Sound. About NeedleXChangeAn artist interview podcast exploring contemporary embroidery and textile art. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.Stay Connectedneedl.exchange | Newsletter: bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNewsmrxstitch.com | xstitchmag.com