My wife and I went to Kai Kathleen’s You Are Are exhibition at the New House Art Space in Guildford recently and it was absolutely phenomenal. Unfortunately, we went on the last weekend it was open, so it is closed now, however, I still wanted to write this review to praise Kai’s incredible work.

The exhibition was the perfect celebration of queer bodies and queer joy. Kai put together a collection of their own work (a lot of which I own and LOVE, having bought prints and postcards from prides and etsy over the years) and also work by a group of other queer people, making it the most wonderful LGBTQ+ gallery. The prints, interviews and even poetry by LGBTQ+ folk in the gallery all comes from a selection of people who have been attending Kai’s queer life drawing classes for the past 3 years, either as models or as artists. The models spoke out about their experiences and confidence, and the drawings encapsulated so many different queer bodies from people in lingerie to people with top surgery scars and including disabled people too!

My wife and I have attended the class in the past and also have both been models so it was amazing to see the work that people had created (including a portrait of my wife that had been created when she was the model!!!) and having been a part of the classes in these ways made me feel a bit more of a personal connection to the exhibition, although I of course was not featured (and trust me, you would not want me to be – my art is interesting to say the least). But it made me feel so euphoric as those classes are always so brilliantly joyous and also such a place of safety, too, and it’s so important for us queer people to have a place of safety especially in these troubling times – especially for us folk under the trans umbrella who will be impacted by the EHRC Code of Practice when it comes into place*.

Kai’s exhibition truly encapsulated the meaning of queer joy and it was an absolute honour to have been able to experience it (though we sadly missed the opening night due to ill-health or i’d have written this a lot sooner! Alas). Though you cannot support their exhibition anymore, I urge you to support them on socials which you can do here, by visiting their portfolio, or by shopping their art which you can do here.

*I just want to say that though I am trans non-binary, I don’t believe I will be impacted by the EHRC changes, so I am very lucky, but I of course still identify as trans non-binary and can be affected by general transphobia

Review

‘This is the most stunning exhibition of gorgeous queer bodies perfectly curated by other LGBTQ+ folk and Kai has done the most gorgeous job putting the exhibition together. I am blown away by the talent within the work and the beautiful representation I see within it. I was even lucky enough to see my stunning disabled non-binary lesbian wife within the collection which emphasised the queer joy I was already experiencing. Thank you Kai for creating and curating something so beautiful and representative of a wonderful community that truly deserves happiness. PS. You know I have always been in love with your work and that remains true! It is incredible and that adds true beauty to the exhibition itself.’

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Love always,

Laur xxx