Artist Explores Gay Identity Through Raw, Handwritten Texts

New book “GAY THOUGHTS” offers a complex collage of desire, humor, and vulnerability.

A provocative new art book is challenging perceptions of gay identity, using fragmented handwritten phrases and stark visuals to capture the nuanced emotional landscape of queer experience.

A Playful, Provocative Opening

Pepo Moreno‘s latest work, “GAY THOUGHTS,” immediately sets a tone of playful subversion. The book opens with a handwritten inscription on its bookplate: “THIS BOOK BELONGS TO __________,” followed by a self-corrected “A PANSY OBVIOUSLY.” Later, the word “SLUT” appears before the introduction, signaling a deliberate engagement with stereotypes.

Beyond Superficial Readings

Editor and novelist Vicente Ferrer describes Moreno’s approach as both a mockery and a celebration of gay stereotypes. Ferrer notes that while the book employs gay lifestyle tropes and internet slang—such as “I AM HOMIE SEXUAL” and “POWER BOTTOM AUTUMN”—these elements function as the medium, not the core message. He characterizes these deliberately superficial phrases as “falsely superficial,” acting as the sole vocabulary capable of articulating the inherent tensions within gay communities.

Evolution from Previous Work

Moreno’s earlier book, “THIS IS A GAY BOOK,” explored the often-arbitrary bonds within gay communities. That work featured hand-painted memes and casual classifications, like the assertion “BJÖRK’S SWAN DRESS IS GAY,” paired with a portrait of the singer. This earlier collection confidently labeled and categorized with apparent impunity.

“GAY THOUGHTS”: An Austere Examination

In contrast, “GAY THOUGHTS” embraces ambiguity, eschewing any single doctrine for gay life. The book is predominantly text-based, presenting original hand-inked phrases on each page. Sparse, morose grayscale doodles punctuate the text, such as a smiling face marred by black tears, captioned “SAFE SPACES DON’T EXIST I GUESS.” These pieces are described as psalms of desire, illuminated by the forces of rainbow capitalism and third-wave gay liberation.

Cataloging “Gay Urges”

The book lists a series of “gay urges” across four consecutive pages. These include “BURNING EVERYTHING AND MOVE HAVING THIS BOOK,” “TAKING A MIRROR SELFIE AFTER THE GYM,” “BUYING EXPENSIVE COFFEE,” and “DYEING YOUR HAIR AFTER A MINOR INCONVENIENCE.” The final phrase, with its skipping pen, suggests an exhaustion with clichés that are, embarrassingly, rooted in truth.

Graphology and Emotional Nuance

Moreno’s deliberate use of handwriting—its slant, pressure, and errors—reveals psychological depth. Each page demands not only semantic but also compositional and graphological analysis. The light pressure and ambling slant of “BORN. GROW. POWER BOTTOM. DIE” suggest reticence, a stark contrast to the bold, ink-blotched “DON’T DISTURB I’M GAY CRYING,” which clearly conveys emotion. The pressure modulations throughout the book mirror the erratic logic of “gay panic,” encompassing both its archaic psychiatric definition and its modern meme-ified sense of intense yearning.

Recent studies highlight the impact of self-expression on mental well-being, with research indicating that creative outlets can significantly reduce anxiety and improve self-esteem among LGBTQ+ individuals (UCLA Williams Institute, 2023).