Kristian Blackmon, a Black lesbian woman, realized in her early days after coming out that a lot of events tailored for Pride Month weren’t suitable for people who looked like her.
Instead, they were what she considered to be “whitewashed” because she feels the festivities center around white queer males. If there were more Black people involved she said they were tokenized or the plight of Black queer and trans folx was simply ignored.
In 2019, she thought of the concept, “SEEN: A Love Letter to Black Queer and Trans Folx Art Exhibition.” It is a creative showcase where Black queer and trans people celebrated through their artwork.
The pandemic delayed its debut, but it is now on display at the Black-owned business Urb Arts, located at 2600 N. 14th Street.
Blackmon, a community activist, organizer, and creative highlighted her pieces including a wooden block titled, “N*****s Be Gay,” and a quote from Brittney Griner about being a strong Black lesbian woman.
She was joined by nine fellow artists displayed in the exhibition at an opening reception on June 26, 2022.
“I wanted to take the opportunity to showcase Black queer and trans artists in a time where society doesn’t think we matter or worthy to live,” Blackmon said. “I curated the space for love and to be seen as our full selves.”
Charles Unique, who identifies as trans masculine nonbinary displayed photos of their partner, Sunni Hutton shot by photographer Grand Martell, inside a 3-D shadow box with flowers from their garden in a 1918 vase from their great uncle, a negro league baseball player.
They said the work signifies the ability to love and heal through trauma, pain, and existence.
“Oftentimes people don’t see queer love represented in media, I wanted to have something that reflects the nuisance of the accountability we need to take us [Sunni and I] to the next level,” Unique said.
Unique said they define trans masculine nonbinary as meaning they don’t classify themselves using labels such as gender.
“I don’t think about gender, I’m just here to be myself and look at my full self,” Unique said.
Nakita “Gentleman Hunter,” Anthony, who considers herself to be sexually fluid highlighted three photographs of each different moment in time she shot. The three images were of Dapper Dan during a talk he did with The Saint Louis Fashion Fund, a personal photo shoot she did with a friend, and of a Black male seen visibly happy. She said the photo of the man was to center Black joy because we don’t see enough of those times.
“Most images show us stressed or protesting, but in some way joy is a revolutionary act that needs to be portrayed,” Anthony said.
Kray Kustomz’s three large pieces immediately catch the viewer’s eye because they detail sexual acts between women in neon colors, it’s something she said was done intentionally.
“Intimacy is something people are scared of,” Kustomz said. “I like to be bold, I love erotica and I feel like its [sex] natural, why are you scared of sex and the human body?”
Kustomz said she wants to bring awareness through her art and shine a light on what people are scared to do.
Taylor V. Smith, who came out in 2020 has her seven photograph series lined on the gallery walls upon entry. Her project takes a deeper glimpse into a queerplatonic friendship, which shows close shots of hair fixing, the touching of hair and garments, and ends with the last shot, a car scene. Smith said the scene embodies a reconciliation space since being in your car is a form of comfortability.
Jen Everett’s two pieces titled “Queer Cosmologies” is what she calls the origin of her queer formation as a young person.
“The images and texts were formative to me as a child,” Everett said. “The passage is from a book of erotic I used to sneak and read its from a short story within a book my parents had. The other work features two queer artists Meshell Ndegeocello and Tracy Chapman, who inspired me to map out my own queerness.
Poet Koren performed his blackest pieces ranging in topics of systematic racism, Black royalty, and more. Hip Hop Artist Bates performed “My Keys,” what she said was about freeing yourself from toxic relationships.
Blackmon shared how while heterosexual spaces outnumber LBTQ ones, she still attends them. She added that heterosexuals and others should be more open-minded about coming out to support LGBTQ-led events.
“I don’t go places and say, ‘its hella straight people in here, look at all these heteros in here,’” Blackmon said. “People should show up in ways beyond their comfort zone and not view it as ‘oh, imma go to some gay [expletive].”
Free resource bags from the Department of Health filled with safe sex kits, information on HIV, STDs, and more were also on standby.
Find more information about Blackmon and her exhibition, at https://urbarts.gallery.
Blackmon will host a discussion about the exhibition as part of a series titled “Culture Conversations: Politics Between the Sheets,” 6-8 p.m. Thursday July 14, at Urb Arts.
