In Oklahoma, it’s a real tough time to be any kind of minority these days.
From openly hostile politicians to everyday bigots, the weight of otherness can be heavy – especially in the realms of human sexuality.
But the burden feels lighter when you find a community of true nonconformist rebels who reject the grand design of the body politic, in essence grabbing the appropriate shills by their balls and proving that true creativity and individuality can’t be stifled by gender bias or social stigmas.
That was dutifully reinforced by Tulsa-based Gender Magazine’s All Trans Art Show at the Mycelium Gallery, 2816 N. Penn Ave.
Against a familiar backdrop of political hostility, public pearl-clutching and everyday bigotry toward the LGBTQ+ community, this collection of Queer artists is banding together to increase visibility, viability and, of course, total subversion of the status quo.
I had to go and check it out…
Walking into the homemade artspace, it felt like a true outsider symposium, taking a punk rock atmosphere and turning it into a well-timed culture bomb—and there I was taking angelic shrapnel with the blue mannequins that greeted me by the doors. This is the anarchic studio I have always dreamed about.
I walked to the counter and introduced myself to the owners and staff. After a few beats of conversation, they introduced me to the main artist of the show, Paully Steele (she/her).
A trans woman herself, Steele told me that this All Trans Art Show was “a long time coming.” A primarily Tulsa-based artist, Steele then took me on a tour of the all-trans showcase and spoke of her art as “life-affirming.” Looking at the various disciplines, it truly shows.
With religious connotations, punk beats, dreamy scenic vistas, electric designer swirls, and, my personal favorite entitled “Hot Sauce at the Hi-Lo (Tapatío)” featuring a Mexican erotic dancer, the art is eclectic as it is, well, very life-affirming and uplifting, I can tell you.
Walking through the gallery, as I was embracing the art, for me, even better were the people that I met relating to the art, that felt for the art and the artists.
Neon ice cones, horned toddlers, and simple designs that, when viewing with the right frame of mind, became brutal masterpieces that scarred the psyche; they were visual conversations with the artists that gave me a new take on not only the art but the frame of mind when creating it.
Giving the art one more spin around the gallery, Steele said a mini-drag show was going to cap off the gallery show.
I found a front-row seat and, after a few minutes, a trio of performers performed a true low-budget drag show, ranging from the down and dirty devil to a sweet, sophisticated grand dame.
Rarely finding myself in the front row, there was a real artistic aspect that I lovingly respected and cherished. This close to the action, the well-worn comedic burlesque was replaced with actual pathos, making the show so heart-throbbingly personal…they were star-making performances.
As the sun was setting, I left the Mycelium Gallery, taking a piece of their artistic bravura and turning it on for the outside world to see and, to be sure, be a part of. You can be certain I will be back to the Mycelium.
But the All Trans Art Show, for me, was a true revelation that let me know that in this time of strife, conflict, and pure Okie consternation, there will always be a welcoming community of artists and weirdos creating a world of their own—and inviting us all to witness from the inside.
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
