For the next month, the William Way LGBT Community Center will display work created by artists from The Attic Youth Center in an exhibit titled “Proud Exposures: Youth Identities and Icons. ”
For this year’s exhibit, organizers of The Mural Arts Program, which unites artists and communities through collaborative processes, invited printmaker and activist Leah Girardo to work with students at The Attic. Students collaborated with Girardo to creatively explore their identities through extensive discussion and studying artistic craft.
Students developed their own identity symbols in reaction to restricting binaries. These invented symbols were used to form frames around introspective self-portraits that represent how the young artists see themselves as LGBTQ youth in society. With the help of Girardo, students made these frames by learning print and photography techniques.
According to Tara Rubenstein, a program coordinator at The Attic, about 15 students worked in collaboration with the Mural Arts Program to learn all kinds of techniques in making art. In addition, Attic Graffix, a silkscreen design group at the center, completed T-shirt and poster designs and also contributed pieces to the show.
“They’ve been working on pieces all throughout the year,” Rubenstein said, “and it’s a great way for students to explore and develop their own artistic skills while also learning business skills as well.”
Andy Paszkiewicz, a Drexel University senior studying film production, has photography in the exhibit of the Sweethearts and Red Hots drag show, held at the William Way in February. Paszkiewicz said he wanted to be able to again showcase the talented youth performers from the show.
“I get all kinds of excited when I see Attic youth being able to express themselves in ways they may not be able to outside the safe walls of The Attic,” Paszkiewicz said. “With my work, I just wanted to capture that so that they know they are being seen and that it’s wonderful.”
Paszkiewicz originally got involved with The Attic Youth Center when he came to Philadelphia for school. He said Rubenstein and others at the center pushed him to get involved in more activities there, and he’s been thankful ever since.
“I think it’s beyond great that these queer youth are able to showcase their work and be proud of how that work came about,” Paszkiewicz said. “I think, more importantly, other queer youth that may not know about the safe space The Attic provides can see this work and know that they can be seen, heard and respected. They can share their stories too.”
The exhibit will be on display at the William Way Art Gallery until Aug. 29. For more information, visit www.waygay.org.