This body of work is my most personal and ambitious yet, featuring a triptych of large scale pieces that explore LGBTQ+  identity, bordered by six studies of NPR Tiny Desk concerts by queer musicians. In planning this collection, I drew inspiration from two key texts: the 2024 documentary, “Luther: Never Too Much,” and “Music is History” by Questlove. In it, he examines the hip hop practice of sampling soul records to archive and recontextualize the music for a new audience. This spurred the question, “what would sampling look like in a visual medium?” The central triptych explores this practice by applying visual motifs from 20th c. queer painters to compositions of contemporary queer musicians.

The main triptych shines a light on three LGBTQ+ hip hop artists who represent a shift in the genre, which has historically been dominated by masculinity, heterosexuality and antiquated machismo. Following a screening of “Luther: Never Too Much” at the Roxbury Film Festival, I was struck by his story. While Vandross was penning ballads aimed at female love interests, many close to him knew he was seeking queer love, though he never came out himself. Like so many artists across all disciplines, Vandross’ artistry and identity had to wait to be celebrated posthumously.

My work aims to counter the delayed appreciation of queer artists by putting them in the spotlight. The Tiny Desk studies feature queer musicians, depicted with painting techniques and stylistic choices inspired by their music and aesthetic. The central triptych connects three musicians, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyler The Creator, and Doechii, to the canon of queer artists before them. By linking them to queer 20th century artists, the work purports that, despite legislation and conservative principles, queer people have, and will always, exist.