Show Statements

Luka:

res·to·ra·tion

/ˌrestəˈrāSH(ə)n/

The action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition.

In honor of my transgender family and our fight to exist, my work illustrates gender euphoria, trans self-actualization, and the uniqueness of every single trans human experience. All my subjects have shared vulnerable details of their lives, including their unique histories, verbiage, styles, and passions they embody to feel most themselves. I aim not to paint a likeness of a face, but to paint a likeness of a trans journey. It is the process of excavating, tearing away facets of visage that were forced upon us, separating our true selves from inculcated agendas, and getting back to who we were before societal shame, fear, and hate entered our lives. Back to the child self. The unabashed self. The fearless self.

Each piece is a reflection of the individual discovering their true selves again through various actions, vocations, expressions, and practices. Every medium, surface, and technique is a purposeful reflection of the unique ways that my subjects have restored their understanding of their own gender, or are pursuing that understanding.

Every person in this exhibition is a Columbus resident: an academic, an artist, a performer, a student, an advocate, a neighbor, a friend. This is my community. And this is your community, as well. Trans identity is not a symptom or sickness, nor a “prefer not to say” checkbox, nor a sin, nor a concrete road headed in one direction toward a surgical ward.

It is significant. It is sacred. It is atomic. It is multitudinous. It is beautiful.

And it must be protected.

Molly:

The embroidery work that Molly creates is a love letter to queer bodies and sexualities that come in so many beautiful shapes and forms. Like flowers that grow when nurtured, our bodies need recognized, loved and cared for, and this dynamic comparison is often reflected in Molly’s work through the use of floral and mushroom motifs. They use a range of techniques, including paint or other mixed media within the work, which is finished on an embroidery hoop to call back the the under-appreciated, historical tradition of fiber art. The work takes the viewer through a bold journey of colors and intricate stitching to convey intimate moments of confident bodies and diverse sexualities that we celebrate today.

Note to the viewer: Some of the work includes images of sexual encounters and nudity, please note that it may not be child-appropriate.

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