Wilkes University’s Sordoni Art Gallery will celebrate a Summer of Pride in connection with its PULSE Nightclub: 49 Elegies exhibit from June 12 to Aug. 1.
PULSE Nightclub: 49 Elegies by artist John Gutoskey honors and commemorates the 49 individuals massacred at the LGBTQ Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016. To create the series, Gutoskey used symbols that are personal to him and his experience as a gay man and combined them with other more universal cultural and spiritual iconography.
During the Gutoskey exhibit, the Gallery, in partnership with the NEPA Pride Project, will also host Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA, a projected display of community-submitted artwork.
This Summer of Pride invites guests to join in an exploration and celebration of “Remembrance, Resistance, Resilience” through Gutoskey’s exhibit, the community artwork and an appearance by drag artist Mrs. Kasha Davis, as well as a series of events celebrating connection, empathy and visibility.
Events include:
- Friday, June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Remembrance Ceremony | The evening will feature performances by Phoenix Davis, Trixy Valentine and Assetou Xango.
- Wednesday, June 12 | 6 p.m. | Art in Context Panel Discussion: Advocating for
Queer Visibility in NEPA | Elected officials will join in a discussion moderated by Assetou Xango of Dark Goddess Collective.
- Sunday, June 28 | Noon to 4 p.m. | Find the Sordoni Art Gallery table on Public Square at Pridefest.
- Wednesday, July 15 | 6 p.m. | Art in Context Lecture: Drag, Community and Resilience | Mrs. Kasha Davis, known for her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race, will explore the intersections of drag, community and resilience. The evening will conclude with live performances celebrating queer joy, connection and collective strength.
- Saturday, July 25 | Noon to 2 p.m. | Last Look: Gallery Talk | Artist John Gutoskey will visit from his A2 Gallery in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to discuss his work on PULSE Nightclub: 49 Elegies.
All Summer of Pride Events are free and open to the public, though online registration is required.
For more information and registration, please visit wilkes.edu/sordoniartgallery.