July 22, 2025

037-Renaissance Pain & Pleasure with Jonathan Van Dyke!

1 hour 49 minutes

Boils and blood and side wounds, oh my! This week we are joined by artist/professor (and Kayte's MFA thesis mentor!) Jonathan Van Dyke to talk about Renaissance paintings, torture, eroticism and more. On the menu: Jesus's sexuality, saints in ecstasy, leaky artists and why so many old Christian paintings look so queer.

About Jonathan Van Dyke:

Jonathan VanDyke is a New York City–based visual artist working at the intersection of painting and performance, with an emphasis on a queer, collaborative, and embodied practice. He is an Artist in Residence at Bard College and teaches for Pig Iron Theater and has many many shows you can read more about here! Or, follow JVD on insta!

This is probably our most research heavy episode to date so please peruse our media referenced!

Readings:

Steinberg, Leo. The Sexuality of Christ in Renaissance Art and Modern Oblivion, University of Chicago, 1983.

Jones, Amelia. "Performing the Wounded Body: Pain, Affect and the Radical Relationality of the Body", Parallax, 2009

Van Dyke, Jonathan. "Hold, Still", free copy here

Van Dyke, Jonathan. "Why Do So Many Old Christian Paintings Look So Queer?", free copy here

Paintings we discussed:

Francesco Bachiacca, The Flagellation of Christ, 1512-1515, oil on panel, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

Diego de la Cruz, The Mass of St. Gregory, 1490, oil and gold on panel, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia.

Giovanni Bellini, Lamentation Over the Dead Christ with the Virgin, Saint Joseph of Arimathea and Mary Magdalen between Saint Martha and Filippo Benizi, 1510-16, oil on canvas, Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice.

Marcello Fogolino, Madonna and Child enthroned with Job and St Gothard

1505-1508, oil on canvas, Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan

Jay is also a co-host on Library Punk!

Kayte is also a co-host on Fangs for the Memories and makes art here!

...more