Curator Starr Sariego and co-curator Tema Stauffer are bringing the exhibit, “This Skin I’m In,” to the Tipton Gallery in Johnson City this fall.
Sariego is a professional photographer who is based out of Asheville, North Carolina, and Stauffer is an associate professor of photography in ETSU’s Art and Design Department. The two brought this exhibit to Johnson City to provide opportunities for queer students at ETSU and to showcase how queer people want to be perceived.
Sariego began photography at 50 years old, exploring various avenues of interest in storytelling. She has curated exhibits revolving around the “invisible members of society,” referring to minority groups, such as incarcerated women.
Sariego worked at a women’s correctional center in Homestead, Florida, before relocating to Asheville, North Carolina. She explained that the women she met during her time at the prison in Homestead were nothing like how people perceived them and that “they looked like your neighbor, or just like you and me.”
When Sariego’s child came out to her as nonbinary, this sparked her curiosity and interest in working with the LGBTQIA+ community in the Asheville region.
“To be able to create something to show who you are, that’s power,” said Sariego. “If we have the chance to tell our story, then it becomes more powerful, especially [telling] your story, your way.”
“This Skin I’m In” will showcase the works of 24 artists, three of which are current ETSU students. Micheal Bumgarner, Maeve Lawson, and Elijah Sells will have their works displayed at the Tipton Gallery. The pieces being shown will be a combination of photographs and voice pieces.
Stauffer felt that bringing this exhibit to Johnson City would provide a great opportunity for queer members of the ETSU Art and Design Department to showcase their artwork.
“Part of my interest in being involved was to provide an opportunity for my LGBTQIA students to exhibit their work and participate in a larger community,” said Stauffer.
There is a “This Skin I’m In” app available for all mobile devices that helps showcase the pieces in more depth. The app will provide the voice pieces to accompany the photographs and provides information on how to become allies for the LGBTQIA+ community.
There will be two events surrounding this exhibit. A reception and chance to talk to the artists will be held on Nov. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This event will be an opening ceremony for the exhibit. There will also be a panel on the LGBTQIA+ community on Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Both events will be held at the Tipton Gallery and are free and welcome to the public.
