Delaware Valley Regional High School is hosting an exhibition of 20 life-sized cutouts of artists and activists of the LGBTQ community who were pioneers in their fields.
The cutouts, made last year by Silky Shoemaker for an ArtYard exhibition in Frenchtown, were distributed around the school on June 2.
“The ‘Queer Icons’ exhibit is about recognizing and celebrating the histories and identities of individuals that went unnoticed, were misrepresented, and/or devalued in our society and history due to race, gender, sexual orientation or identity,” explained art teacher Sarah Ruppert.
This exhibit is the first result of a relationship that she and her colleague Jason Farnsworth have been cultivating with ArtYard.
In January 2019, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law requiring boards of education to include instruction that accurately portrays the political, economic, and social contributions of LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.
Del Val Superintendent Daria Wasserbach said, “I am pleased that we are able to fulfill the state learning standards through our partnership with ArtYard, and at no cost to the district or taxpayers, ArtYard’s generosity will help us learn more about these influential pioneers who did not receive general public recognition because they were a part of a marginalized community.”
She added, “While some of artist Silky Shoemaker’s work is intended for a mature audience, this passive exhibition is intended for a high school age group in the context of diversity, equity and inclusion. Members of the community can virtually experience the Del Val exhibit and see exactly what our students are learning about these icons by visiting our website.”
To see it, visit https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/135UCONm1lyx7_25QvGln4IrM0gMvUO0q9XpNLuRaegk/edit#slide=id.gb6894510a6_0_0
One of the cutouts is of Glenn Burke (1952-1995), the first openly gay Major League Baseball player. He played for the L.A. Dodgers and Oakland Athletics in 1976-79, and is widely credited with being co-inventor of the high five.
Another example would be Gladys Bentley (1907-1960), “an American blues singer, pianist, and entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance.” Her “career skyrocketed when she appeared at Harry Hansberry’s Clam House in New York as a Black, lesbian, cross-dressing performer.”
When Ruppert invited her fellow teachers to host a cutout, she explained, “The icons can be a passive art exhibit in the classroom or a more integrated part of a lesson. Each Icon comes with a short write-up about who they are and their contributions to the LGBTQ movement. The hope is that students will be intrigued, and that will lead to a few questions about who these individuals are and why they are standing in the classroom. This is about creating an environment that is affirming and inclusive to LGBTQ people. All youth need to see themselves reflected in their school environment and in the curriculum. Celebrating and showcasing the achievement of these marginalized Americans is one way we can fill this educational obligation to our LGBTQ community.”
ArtYard is the nonprofit dedicated to artistic creativity that recently completed building its $10 million gallery and theater.
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