Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art Acquires works by Linus Borgo

Museum Acquisition
Linus Borgo's paintings Hepatoscopy and Mean & Meaning have both been acquired by the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in New York, NY. These two paintings played a central role in Borgo's 2024-25 solo exhibition Monstrum, where they synthesized Borgo's multiple threads of art historical inquiry, trans futurity, ancient myth, and spirituality.
 
In the work Hepatoscopy, Borgo refers to the ancient Roman practice of inspecting the entrails, especially livers, of sacrificed animals for the purposes of attaining spiritual insight and predicting the future. By tying the painting in name to this specific historical and geographical context, Borgo draws parallels between transgender surgery and this ancient mystical act. Much of Borgo’s work is focused on his own body and his relationship to it as it has developed over time due to various interferences, both natural and unnatural. These include surgeries and molecular methods, such as hormone therapy. In Hepatoscopy, Borgo metaphorically speaks to his own experiences through the pig he depicts on the surgical table.
 

The title of Meat and Meaning draws inspiration from Eva Hayward’s essay, “More Lessons from a Starfish: Prefixial Flesh and Transspeciated Selves,” in which she reframes the act of cutting away—often perceived as a loss—as an opportunity for growth. Using the starfish, which can regenerate its limbs and even entire bodies, Hayward highlights the transformative potential inherent in this process. This theme of regeneration aligns closely with Borgo's long-standing interest in the subject, particularly as it intersects with transgender theory. Hayward’s insights resonate deeply with the artist, emphasizing the shared potential of animals, humans, and their identities. From a trans perspective, the idea of regeneration gains further significance, paralleling how transgender individuals can become and re-become themselves through surgical interventions that involve cutting and stitching. 

October 23, 2024