Into the Registry: An Artist Member and Community Space (January 2022)

This new, bi-monthly series invites our community of artists, art lovers, AIDS activists, and beyond to share space with and explore both past and recent artwork from Visual AIDS' Artist Members.

Join the event on Zoom here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82701272371

In the first half of the program a small cohort of Artist Members will share recently created artworks with the public. This session Hugo Moro, John Keasler, and Peter Robinson Jr. will all present.

In the second half of the program, the curator of our current web gallery will elaborate on the inspiration informing their selection of artworks from our Artist+ Registry, a database of work by artists living with HIV, and those who are no longer with us. The curator will be joined by several other artists, creatives, and thinkers to discuss relevant themes in the web gallery.

For this first iteration of the series, Shehab Isis Awad will lead a conversation connected to her current web gallery, No Fucks Given. She will be joined by artist and movement builder Jessica Whitbread, multimedia artist and party organizer Gage Spex, and musician and organizer T De Long. Together they will discuss the importance of creating parties that center, celebrate, and support queer, marginalized, and at-risk communities, and the necessity of archiving these events and spaces.

Bios:

Shehab Isis Awad is a curator and writer based in New York City. She is Founding Director of Executive Care*, a curatorial initiative at the service of underrepresented artists, with a special focus on early-career artists from performance and nightlife communities. Awad has held curatorial positions at Townhouse in Cairo; Institute of Arab and Islamic Art; and Participant Inc, in New York.

Jessica Whitbread is an established global movement builder incorporating feminist perspectives into her work. Jessica works in the realm of social practice and community art, merging art and activism to engage a diversity of audiences in critical dialogue. Her work includes LOVE POSITIVE WOMEN (2012); Tea Time (2012); No Pants No Problem (2004); co-curator of POSTERVirus with Alex McClellend (2011); and co-editor of The HIV HOWLER: Transmitting Art and Activism with Anthea Black (2017).

Gage Spex is a multimedia artist who creates installations involving performance, costumes, sound and light to activate sensory experience. Their work centers around androgyny, dreams, hermetics and self care. In 2007 they graduated with a BFA from CCAC. In 2011 they founded the LGBTQIA space The Spectrum in Williamsburg that moved to become The Dreamhouse in Ridgewood. Both venues became known for underground nightlife and also provided space for yoga, pilates, workshops, art & more. Although they currently do not operate a venue they continue to throw parties in clubs around Brooklyn. Most recently Gage has returned to their 2D roots in drawing and painting.

T De Long is a performer, musician, organizer and the executor of The Estate of Chloe Dzubilo. T lives and works in New York City.