Six LGBTQ+ Artists to Showcase Work In Group Exhibition at Theaterworks Hartford

TheaterWorks Hartford, under the leadership of Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero and Managing Director Jeff Griffin, announces a gallery exhibition opening featuring six LGBTQ+, Connecticut based artists in conjunction with their August 8th Celebrate Drag event. There will be a separate opening reception on Tuesday, August 13 from 6pm-7:30pm. The exhibition will be on view through Friday, September 13 2024. Admission is free.

The local artists exhibiting work include Adis Halilovic, Jaii Marc Renee, Maxim Tobias Schmidt, Lauren Be Dear, Ricardo Gutierrez, and Sophia DeJesus-Sabella. The theme of the exhibition is “Freedom of Artistic Expression.” Each artist participating in the exhibition receives a color of the rainbow to lean into, and a canvas provided by TWH to create on. All works in the exhibition will be for sale, all proceeds go directly to the artists.

This exhibition is in conjunction with TheaterWorks Hartford's annual Celebrate Drag event on Thursday, August 8 2024 at 7:30pm. This year's Celebrate Drag event features a headlining performance by PLASMA (Season 16 of RuPaul's Drag Race). This event will be hosted by ROBIN FIERCE (Season 15 of RuPaul's Drag Race) with opening performances by NATALIA FIERCE and KENYA MONE HEART. More information and tickets can be found on twhartford.org.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Adis Halilovic (red): is a visual artist whose work resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the complex emotions that makes us human. His life story is one of triumph and creativity. Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Adis migrated to the US in 1998. His journey as a first generation immigrant has had a profound impact on his work as an artist. Through his vibrant and emotionally charged art pieces, his work explores with vivid colors and intense emotional energy that captivates the viewer. Adis is a master at playing with different materials and creating immersive experiences that push the boundaries of traditional paintings to new heights. He strives to explore deep, personal, and sociopolitical topics in his art, inviting his audience to activate their minds and engage in a meaningful conversation about the human experience.  https://art.adishalilovic.com/ @AdisHalilovicArt 

Jaii Marc Renee (orange): was born Mark Jamale Pinckney on March 7, 1986 in Hartford, Connecticut. At the age of ten, he and his single mother moved to Manchester where has remained a member of the community ever since. He has been married to art ever since his early years of life when he began to draw cartoons for family and friends. It wasn't until high school that he picked up a brush for the first time and it was not love at first sight. Self-esteem and mental health played and adverse role, clouding the road to self-identity, but it was the same adversity that paved the way for the artist he is today. Jaii Marc used painting as a mechanism to channel the difficult symptoms of Bipolar Depression. Using his own unique style of large canvases, black and white focal points, with a bold, vibrant pop of color and splatter abstract, are ways to identify his virtuosity. https://www.jaiimarcart.com/ @jaii_marc_art

Maxim Tobias Schmidt (He/they) (yellow): is a multidisciplinary artist working out of central Connecticut. As of May 2019, he graduated with his BA in Art Therapy from Albertus Magnus College. Schmidt was previously the gallery coordinator and curatorial assistant for the Ely Center of Contemporary Art from 2019-2023. They currently serve as the co-curator of The Gallery Upstairs @ The Institute Library, and as Digital Media Administrator for the United Church on the Green (both located in New Haven). maximtschmidt.com @maximtschmidt

Lauren Be Dear (green): is an interdisciplinary artist from Hartford, Connecticut specializing in video installation, spoken word poetry, sculpture, and performance. Her work examines mental health, family bonds, and ancestral trauma. She aims to dismantle the burden of stigma, encourage others to share their stories, and create alternative pathways to healing. https://www.laurenbedear.com/, @laurenbedear

Ricardo Gutierrez (blue): Ricardo Gutiérrez, born Jean Ricardo Gutiérrez Cañaveral, in the colorful town of Apartadó, located in the Urabá of Antioquia in northwestern Colombia. His love for art and drawing began at the age of 4, watching his father, who was also an artist, working in the studio that he made in their house. Ricardo moved to the city of Medellín to study Graphic Design, Communication and Advertising, and Visual Design, along with other courses related to modern digital art. He began his career working for several companies as a corporate image consultant, and at the same time was involved in fashion and design media, where he gained new knowledge and experiences in the Colombian art world.

New Haven, Connecticut is the home of this artist today. Ricardo came to New England for a temporary work project, but the magic of this place stole his heart. And it is in Connecticut where his brand, RicArtDesign, was born. The brand's current focus is on visual art on canvas as well as some interior design projects in Connecticut and Washington D.C. In 2023 he was chosen by Connecticut magazine as one of the 40 most influential people in Connecticut and held his second public exhibition called Through My Eyes in New Haven. So far in 2024, Ricado gave his first lecture “From Canvas to Legacy” at the New Haven museum. And now, he is working on his new collection in collaboration with YEUX, which will be exhibited this summer, as well as participating in art festivals and collective exhibitions. https://ricartdesign.com/, @ricartdesign

Sophia DeJesus-Sabella (purple/violet): is an artist, weaver, and educator based in Hartford, Connecticut. Her woven and sculptural works interrogate class, gender, queerness, and utility by combining traditional craft with found construction materials. https://www.sophiadejesussabella.com/, @sophia__djs  

About TheaterWorks Hartford

Celebrating its 39th season, TheaterWorks Hartford (TWH) produces high quality, contemporary theater and is committed to the power of storytelling in creating community. Founded in 1985, TWH has produced nearly 200 plays and presents approximately 150 performances per season. TWH also owns and manages the historic property at 233 Pearl Street, known as City Arts on Pearl. For updates on TheaterWorks Hartford, visit twhartford.org. Follow on Instagram, Facebook, or Youtube.

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