We had the good fortune of connecting with J. Morrison and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J., how did you come up with the idea for your business?
HOMOCATS were created during a 2010 residency in Snowmass Village, Colorado with a zine entitled “Fight the Power”. Bush had ended his presidency and Obama had recently become elected. It was also pre-gay marriage in the US and before the Affordable Care Act passed so there was a lot of activism from the past 8 years of a Republican administration. Being an avid cat lover and a political artist, the idea was to combine the popularity of the feline with using social commentary through a physical publication.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Before Instagram, I was inspired by early cat memes such as I Can Has Cheezburger and LOLCats, but I wanted to insert some activism into my images. The first drawing I made was “We Are Tired of Homophobia,” along with “Equal Rights” and “Trans-Positive,” which unfortunately are still relevant 12 years later. As the project became more popular, the HOMOCATS grew into its own line. I’ve always considered the mission statement to be “to fight phobias, propose equal rights, combat cultural stereotypes, challenge social norms, and to resist Trumpism.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the zine collection at the LA Public Library, the independent book finds at Skylight Books, the beauty of the Griffith Park and Observatory, the hip art shows at The Broad, the LA weirdness at The Museum of Jurassic Technology, and also the relics of the remaining historic buildings in downtown LA.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
HOMOCATS were born from the spirit of DIY aesthetics, fanzine-making, and inspired by the history of punk and independent subcultures such as the “Queercore” and “Riot grrrl” scenes.

Conversely, my appreciation has grown over time for the mass production of Pop Artists such as Warhol, Haring, and Lichtenstein. I love the public messages that Yoko Ono creates, the courage and boldness of AIDS activists and protest art, and the strength of the citizens of Ukraine and Russia just trying to live their lives.

In 2016, I created the “Kittens Against Trump” goods, which also included the HOMOCATS “Trump is Over!” prints appropriated from Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s iconic “War is Over!” In 2022 I continued the series with “Abortion Is Healthcare!” following the same activism that Yoko and John inspired back in 1969.

Website: https://www.homocats.com

Instagram: @homocats

Image Credits
Images courtesy of HOMOCATS studio.

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