'Pried' Exhibition Features Works by LGBTQIA Crafts Workers

'Contra Mundum No. 8' (2018) Christian Restrepo - Staples, black linen, ribbed knit, rivets, leather

Works by nearly 40 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer- identifying craft artists from around New England and across the country converge at the Society of Arts + Crafts (SA+C) for "PRIED," a new exhibition curated by Izzy Berdan and Dave J. Bermingham of the Boston LGBTQIA Artist Alliance. The show runs April 25-June 30, 2019; a free public reception will be held Thursday, April 25 from 6-9 p.m.

"PRIED" aims to challenge the notion of "queer craft," recognizing works that don't focus solely on the makers' sexual identity, but instead show how these artists wrestle with broader social issues and their places in the world. The title suggests both the annual celebration of the gay community's achievements and the idea of delving uninvited into someone's personal affairs.

"Each June, Pride Month is embraced as a means of release, hedonism, and validation," Bermingham says, "but for many queer, trans, and non-binary persons, it is instead an opportunity to question notions of queerness, community, and sexuality, as well as our place in the public and private realms of our respective societies. In the same way, 'PRIED' puts an intensive focus on LGBTQ craft artists, but challenges the viewers and craft connoisseurs who seek it out. If they're willing to pull open the closet door, are they also willing to come to terms with the skeletons and, maybe, the glitter inside?"

'Dumbbelle' (2016) Dave J Bermingham - Second hand domestic objects, steel spray paint, epoxy

'Nancy Boi' (2016) Larry Buller - Low-fire clay, Terra Sigillata, low-fire glaze and decals

'Suspended Landscape' (2015) Vivian Beer - Cast bronze from desert texture