Staples held its first-ever pride art show on Friday, June 5, in front of the auditorium. Both students and staff were invited to submit pieces of art to the exhibition. The event was organized by GSA advisors Kayla Ianetta and Chris Fray, and art teacher Angela Simpson.
A key difference from a typical art show, however, was that all of the pieces were anonymous. Boxes were placed outside rooms 1006 and 3004 for artists to drop off their submissions. They were also provided the option to directly submit their work to Ianetta, Simpson, and Fray.
The underlying purpose of this anonymity was “to protect those who wanted to contribute their artwork but might not feel comfortable publicly announcing their sexuality or gender identification,” Simpson said. “Secondly, the anonymity is symbolic of how so many LGBTQ+ people feel they have to hide their authentic selves from most of the world to protect themselves from harassment or rejection.”
This idea was evident through the placement and environment of the art show. Throughout the day, students and faculty stopped by the exhibit to spend a few quiet moments of their day supporting the artistic voices of the Staples community.
“Staples is amplifying voices of queer artists and encouraging discussions about inclusivity through art,” an anonymous student said. The show took place simultaneously with Staples’ first-ever Pride Day, further upholding the spirit of Pride Month.
While the event was silent, the works displayed conveyed a profound sense of community that were effective at resonating with everyone at Staples. “...I’m kind of hoping if we start talking about it, [...] Staples can be a better community, and just like a better place for LGBTQ+ students and staff to exist,” Ianetta said.
Credits:
All photos by Mishael Gill '23