For many people LGBTQ means lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer; for the Craft Studio this April it means art.
The MU LGBTQ Resource Center is holding an art show to begin Pride Month. The show, which is in its second year, will feature work from artists in the community as well as allies.
The art featured in the show mainly centers around themes related to the LGBTQ community, according to Greer Relphorde, the MU sophomore who organized the event. However, some artists also expressed other themes.
“There’s also some feminism which ties in closely to artists that submitted it,” Relphorde said regarding to one artist. “She LGBT identifies, but she also identifies as a feminist.”
The artists in the show come from all over the community. Students, local artists and LGBTQ artists not from Columbia will be participating, Relphorde said.
Artist Roy Scaggs is not a part of the LBGTQ community, but is still participating in the show. His pieces are mostly screen-printed and canvases.
“The subject matter is a lot of like conspiracy theories, some like alien, ‘what if’ type things.” Scaggs said.
MU Student Emily Colvin has a piece called “Transphobia Hurts” in the show.
“Its basically a photo of me when I was attacked by somebody and it was the result of that and what happened as a result of transphobia,” Colvin said.
Colvin said that there are two main purposes for the show, the first being that members of the LGBTQ community get to show their work to the community.
“The second function it serves is to be a way to reach out to people who aren’t as educated, aren’t as knowledgeable, maybe they’re knew to this,” Colvin said. “This kind of art show shows in different ways what we do and what we don’t do, what challenges we face in life and how we live our lives.”
The art show will run April 5 through April 15 in the Craft Studio.