BGF (an abbreviation for Big Gay Festival) features "DISIDENTIFICATIONS," a queer art exhibition curated by Vita Kari, live music by trans performers organized by SWSH, and a night market with local vendors.
Inspired by José Esteban Muñoz's concept of disidentification, this group show features emerging queer artists who navigate and reinterpret dominant cultural norms. The featured artists include Perry Picasshoe, Loveis Wise, Vita Kari, Grace Eassa, Jessie Gaudet, Sophie Rossler, Xixi Edelsbrunner, Laela White, Sandy Kupfer, Jessica Wilcox, Emily Yin, and André Atkins. This marks Vita Kari's curatorial debut, with support from Joaquin Stacey-Calle and the rest of their creative community.
The title of the art exhibition, “DISIDENTIFICATIONS,” pulls inspiration from José Esteban Muñoz's work. Muñoz's concept of disidentification involves a critical practice that neither fully assimilates nor outrightly opposes mainstream ideologies. Instead, it represents a strategy of transformation and survival, where individuals subvert dominant narratives while creating space for their own identities and expressions.
This title emphasizes the festival's commitment to celebrating the complexity and multiplicity of queer experiences, reflecting how these artists engage with and transform mainstream cultural symbols to articulate their unique narratives. It underscores the dynamic interplay between resistance and creativity, central to Muñoz's theory and the showcased artworks.
About Vita Kari & SWSH’s BGF (Big Gay Festival)
The Big Gay Festival is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating queer and trans art and music. We aim to create inclusive spaces where creativity and identity can flourish, offering a platform for emerging artists and musicians to share their work with the community. Our mission statement is to create a space for trans people that’s centered around joy, and fun to help combat trans representation (often centered around pain and trauma).