Join curator Chelsey Luster and artist Dara Haskins for a conversation on Instagram Live where they will discuss the current exhibition at DVAA, Sanctuary: An Exploration of Queer Safe Havens. Access the conversation at @ChelseyLusterArt
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:
Sanctuary: An Exploration of Queer Safe Havens explores safe spaces and personal sanctuaries through Queer POC artworks. This exhibition gives the viewer an opportunity to look into the most vulnerable and intimate spaces that these artists create for themselves and others in their community. This exhibition presents the reality that we all build a space that protects us from the harshness and tragedies of the world; some of these spaces are filled with others that share our identities and sometimes we are in these sanctuaries alone. This reality brings us closer together in a time where we are divided.
This exhibition showcases the works of Rick Vaughn, Autumn Wallace, Dara Haskins, Pablo Alarcón Jr., Jungmok Yi, and the members of the Somatic Stories Project. “Sanctuary” creates a space for artists to show why developing a safe haven is so important for one's well being. Sanctuary: An Exploration of Queer Safe Havens will take place at the Da Vinci Art Alliance from February 18th- March 7th.
ABOUT THE CURATOR:
Chelsey Luster is a Philadelphia-based curator, visual artist and instructor from Baltimore, Maryland. Chelsey's mission as a creative is to design exhibitions that defy ways of thinking about the binaries of our existence, curate complex and impactful exhibitions, and to form unity and develop thoughtful community though raising awareness of social and political issues with her exhibitions.
“The constant tokenization of artists of color led me to curate exhibitions of my own, I instantly fell in love with it. I started out with curatorial internships and jobs which developed my skills enough to curate my own exhibitions. The process of bringing artists together and creating a space where they feel comfortable and empowered became a part of my personal practice and mission as an artist.”
Chelsey has curated exhibitions at Little Berlin Gallery, The Artwear Gallery, and Stella Elkins Gallery is addition to exhibiting her own artwork at the National Liberty Museum, Moody Jones Gallery, William Way Community Center, Delaware County Community College, Painted Bride Art Center, Kitchen Table Gallery, Channels Gallery, and Aramark Partner Gallery.
Chelsey Luster is the recipient of the 2020 Da Vinci Art Alliance Katheryn Pannepacker Fellowship.