CHRISTIAN MCDONALD

I am an artist who lives and works in downtown Phoenix. I view my work as a kind of reporting which reflects my experience and my values.

I believe that art ought to challenge people, at least a little bit–that it should try and shake people out of their familiar ways of seeing and being in the world. This is how art brings people together—not merely as something to gather around as an audience, but something which can help us understand and love one another.

Fluid

“Palm Springs is an unquestionably gay place and I felt it was important that the art reflect that. Put simply, to be gay is to challenge expectations tied to gender and sex.

The flamingo seems to refute our cultural norms about gender. Flamingos are a very “feminine” animal. The males with the most vibrant plumage and most graceful dance moves impress the greatest number of potential mates. Vibrant and graceful is what one version of a man looks like–at least if you are a flamingo.“