Last week, Marquette’s Haggerty Museum was filled with art pieces, but not those that usually occupy its walls. Tables filled with canvases and statues were sprawled around the preexisting exhibits. From prints on white paper, to Muppets made with felt and glitter, to huge canvases with glittering paint, every piece showcased was different than the last.
Last Friday Marquette’s art museum became home to an LGBTQ+ Art Show featuring pieces created by Marquette student artists. Students were welcome to inspect the collection curated by the staff and interns at the LGBTQ+ Resource Center.
Student artists were able to showcase pieces from various mediums, from statues to paintings, to prints and even video digital art were visible throughout the exhibit.
Additionally, the LGBTQ+ Resource Center provided art appreciators with refreshments and complimentary accessories such as stickers and pencils.
“This project was dreamed up by our social justice intern Katie Jacobson. She proposed the plan back in September and we’ve been working towards it ever since. Queer expression is such an ingrained part of the queer experience, it’s a beautiful opportunity for our community at Marquette,” Emma Wuetrich, the assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center said in an email.
Jacobson, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, was the gallery’s main curator and organizer.
“Back in September, I just had an inkling that I wanted to do an art show, and it kinda just developed from there. I was definitely worried about turnout, but I just wanted to facilitate this space for queer artists at Marquette,” Jacobson said.
The event attracted dozens of participants, welcoming each with a clipboard, a scavenger hunt list and several paper hearts that onlookers were encouraged to leave throughout the exhibit in order to compliment the artists behind the pieces presented.
“I love that this has become a communal space. To me, art is about the people you meet and the groups that you get to interact with and really get to love each other and find community,” Juniper Beatty, a graduate student in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program, said.
Beatty, who was an employee of the LGBTQ+ resource center prior to graduating, was one of the students whose art was featured.
“I think that it’s really great when queer students can express themselves at Marquette because I think it’s really important to find spaces and times to really celebrate each other, and I think this night is all about sharing joy. It’s very fitting since my art is meant to show appreciation for the little things,” Beatty said.
Beatty’s pieces consisted of prints of different objects, such as mushrooms and flowers.
As the activity came to a close, participants were invited to huddle together and participate in a raffle, concluding the night with a chance to win a Haggerty t-shirt. More than 80 people were registered at the event, exceeding Jacobson’s initial expectations.
“I’m really grateful for the turnout. I really just wanted to make a space for queer artists here on campus. I don’t know how it will all turn out logistically, but I really hope we can continue to provide this type of resource to students in the future,” Jacobson said.
This activity is only one example of an event spearheaded by LGBTQ+ Resource Center employees. Projects conceptualized by interns and staff members at the Center are constantly being developed.
“These activities usually start with a concept that one of our coworkers came up with. It was all Katie’s idea, but with added aid from the rest of the Center,” Daequan Muirnead, a sophomore in the College of Communication said.
Muirhead is soon scheduled to host his own event through the LGBTQ+ Center, a movie viewing for students to watch and discuss together.
Phoebe Goebel contributed to this report.
This story was written by Clara Lebron. She can be reached at [email protected]