Curated by the Art Queens Collective and the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ+ Center’s Board of Directors, Queer Futurism: Transcendence in Time is an exploration of the question: “In a time when Queer Resilience is no longer necessary; what does the future of our Queer Community look like; what will our Queer Identities look like?”
With a heightened awareness of LGBTQ+ individuals, specifically Queer and Trans individuals, we explore what it means to imagine a colorful world where themes of safety, masculinity, transness, capitalism, explorations of the self and darkness are spotlighted. We travel to a time where hands can be held, hearts can be seen, and an ethereal queer future is explored.
Queer Futurism: Transcendance in Time will be on view Saturdays, 11:00-2:00 PM, and Sundays, 3:00-6:00 PM from October 1-31, 2023 at the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ+ Center.
There will be a preview night hosted on Sunday, October 7, 2023, 11:00-3:00 PM at the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ+ Center, 12127 Elliott Ave, El Monte, CA 91732.
This exhibition is a follow-up to the 2022 exhibition titled An LGBT+ Experience: Healing and Resilience, which journeyed through our queer archives, the now, and our collective healing journey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hosted at the Altadena Library it was the flagship exhibit for centering local San Gabriel Valley-based artists of many mediums and continues to build upon the SGV’s long history of LGBTQ+ organizing via an arts and culture lens.
About the Participants
Mel Torres is Programs Lead for the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ+ Center. Born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, they are passionate about spreading queer joy and growing community in the region. If you’re interested in hearing about the monthly programs, SGV Pride Tour, or further community engagements please email [email protected] to get connected.
Camila Camaléon (President, San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ+ Center) is a paradigm shifter, bridge-builder, and queer archivist based in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles. By centering radical curiosity, joy, and power, Camaleón’s scope of work invites methods of transformative healing justice, media justice, and curated engagement as expressions of healing practices for folks of all genders and sexualities. With a commitment to the Black Femme Radical Imagination, her expertise in the soundscapes and landscapes is a transgressing of boundaries, knowledge, compassion and empathy to build worlds in collaboration of our collective future.
Antonio Reyes (Organizer, Art Queens Collective) aka ToñitoKings is a queer-identified self-taught artist, born and raised in Los Angeles’ San Gabriel Valley in the city of La Puente, with a passion for public health and community organizing. Growing up in an area considered a “resource desert” and with few LGBTQ spaces, inspired and motivated Antonio to build spaces under “Art Queens Collective” that bring resources and local creatives together, particularly for the LGBTQ and POC community. Antonio’s art is inspired by nature, animation, and a touch of politics. With a clear love for color, Antonio creates fantasy worlds filled with imagination and sparkle.
Toki Hernández (Curator, Art Queens Collective) An art historian, educator, and visual artist in Los Angeles, California. Their works of art encompass various mediums that range from drawing, painting, and photography. At the same time, Toki’s work as an artist and art historian has focused on themes relating to modernity, queer identity, and portraiture. In addition to creating art, they have worked alongside local queer organizations, Art Queens Collective, and as a teaching artist to youth.
This exhibit is organized by the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ+ Center as part of the 2023 Circa: Queer Histories Festival, presented by One Institute.
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The SGV LGBTQ Center was founded in 2011. To promote a safe and inclusive SGV for people of all orientations and gender identities our organization enriches the lives of LGBTQ+ residents by fostering advocacy, education, and respect for individuals through encouraging cultural diversity, healthy living, and full achievement of our communities personal potential.