This exhibition is Dedicated to
Community Organizer and Black Proletarian Feminist
Nikeeta Slade

View the Virtual Exhibition

New York City based artist, Gabriel García Román began his ongoing ‘Queer Icons’ series in 2011. This portrait series honors Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC) specifically activists, community organizers, poets and artists; members of the community that are doing the work and bringing attention to issues that affect the QTPOC community.

With the support of the Central New York Community Foundation, Garcia Roman created 10 new works for his Queer Icons series featuring 10 inspiring QTPOC from Syracuse. These 10 individuals represent a small fraction of the remarkable QTPOC artists and activists in our own community. Garcia Roman met and photographed Kyle Bass, Ellen M. Blalock, Sara Hagan, Jose Miguel Hernandez, Hunter Kusak, Timothy Lattimore, Jason Ngo, Rahzie Seals, Talia Shenandoah (Harlow Holiday), and Fabiola Ortiz Valdezat at ArtRage in March and the finished works are now on view.

These images give visibility to a population that’s generally under-represented in the art world. Finding inspiration in portraiture styles of Renaissance, Flemish and Christian Orthodox paintings, the series aims to elevate these multi-dimensional, powerful and proud contemporary figures. From the queer Latina fighting for immigration rights to the non-binary disabled Trans Filipino, the artist perceives these figures as heroes in their own right.

Join us for an Artist Talk with Gabriel Garcia Roman on Thursday, June 16th.

This project is made possible with support from The Central New York Community Foundation.

This project is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

EXHIBITION SPONSORS:
Mark Briggs, Michael DeSalvo & Nick Orth,
M. Russell & F. Marion Lee, Pam McLaughlin & Robert Sollish,
Lisa & Timur Saka, Mara Sapon-Shevin,
Dana Sovocool & Brian Gruninger, and Carmen Viviano-Crafts 

SEASON SPONSORS:
Bruce & Kathy Coville, Annemarie Deegan, Chris Flynn,
Julia Ganson, Laurie Gilmore Selleck, Julie Gozan & Tom Keck,
Sam Gruber & Zoe Meighan, Jeff Hoone & Carrie Mae Weems,
Mary Kuhn & Dave Thomas, Anthony Malavenda & Martine Burat, Jeremy McKay,
Shirley & Larry Novak, Lleni Pach, George Savage,
Ellen Schwartz, Vince Sgambati, Thelie Trotty-Selzer & Jon Selzer,
Ron VanNorstrand, Shaila Wood & Ramesh Gaonkar, and Amy Zamkoff

SPECIAL BENEFACTORS:
Bousquet Holstein, PLLC, The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation,
Adam Goldberg for Raymour & Flanigan,
New York State Council on the Arts,
Donald Blair & Nancy Dock, Caroline Cargo, Therese A. Deegan,
Sandra Hurd & Joel Potash, Ann Jamison,
Rick Olanoff & Susan Wadley, Nancy & Bruce McCoy,
Robert Sarason & Jane Burkhead, and Sharye Skinner 

SUSTAINING SPONSORS:
Walter Putter & Marilyn Smith