Sequin/ce | ˈsēkwəns, ˈsēˌkwens
unified events, movements, and things that refract light in an iridescent effect
sequin
a small, shiny disk sewn as one of many onto clothing for decoration
sequence
a particular order in which related events, movements, or things follow each other
Sequin/ce is a community co-created collaborative project organized by Alternate Currents cohort members Joy Cotton, Aspen Monet Laboy, and Artur Melika which positions queer JOY as a mode of resistance. Designed in response to legislation that destabilizes and disenfranchises Nebraska’s LGBTQIA2S+ communities, Sequin/ce uses the exhibition platform to shore up collective notions of queer joy.
Joy, Aspen, and Art welcome members of Nebraska’s LGBTQIA2S+ communities to submit photographs that visually express queer joy. They will create a large-scale photo collage with submissions to anchor the exhibition, which opens at Amplify Arts' Generator Space on July 12th.
If you self-identify as a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, live in the state of Nebraska, and are at least 19-years-old, we warmly invite you to participate in Sequin/ce by uploading up to 3 photographs you've taken that, in your view, express queer joy. For example, your photos might depict the joys of being together, the joys of living in Nebraska, the joys of working for change, etc.
You don't have to be an artist to submit and your photographs don't have to be recent or professionally taken. Phone camera photos, scanned copies of printed photos, and other forms of digital photography are all welcome. Please visit the link below to access a Google form where you can upload your photos and feel free to email Amplify staff (info@amplifyarts.org) or Sequin/ce organizers (sequince712@gmail.com) anytime with questions!
Thank you for your support and help making Sequin/ce possible!
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Submitters MUST live in the state of Nebraska
Submitters MUST be 19 years or older
Submitters MUST self-identify as a member, or members, of the LGBTQIA2S+ community
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Submit up to 3 images
Image(s) can be of people, objects, situations, or places that, in your view, express queer joy
Image(s) must be either JPG or PNG format and no larger than 10MB
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Submissions open on April 1st and close on June 2nd at 11:59PM
Your photos will be incorporated into a large format collage by Joy Cotton, Aspen Monet Laboy, and Art Melika and displayed at Amplify Arts' Generator Space
All submissions will be incorporated into the collage, however project organizers reserve the right to omit submissions that depict acts of physical and/or sexual violence.
Amplify Arts' Generator Space is located at 1804 Vinton St, Omaha, NE 68108
Sequin/ce opens Friday, July 12th from 6PM - 9PM
Sequin/ce closes Friday, August 16th
About Sequin/ce Organizers:
Joy Cotton is a mixed media artist living in Omaha. Joy uses a combination of pencil, acrylic, oil to create paintings and murals. She creates pieces that hold a great significance to personal emotions, like happiness, sadness, anger, and depression. The characters she makes depict different forms of fantasy and realistic figure drawings. These works contain multiple layers of textures and different types of painting applications. A graduate of University of Nebraska at Omaha Joy often works with other artists and organizations within the Omaha arts community. For the past two years she has worked on projects with Omaha Summer Arts Festival (OSAF), Benson First Fridays (BFF), and Midtown Crossing Sunny Chair project. Interacting, building relationships and collaborating with innovative individuals has shown her the interconnectedness of the art community. Through these interactions, observations, and personal projects she has continued to define and develop her artistry.
Aspen M. Laboy (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist from Omaha, Nebraska working in poetry, glass sculpting, installation, and film photography. Exploring concepts of environmentalism, internal identity, and cultural heritage, they are influenced by nature, science, and philosophy. Aspen has three published books; “Spirit” (2017), “The Quiet Lion” (2018), and “I MATTER” (2022). They co-hosted the poetry workshop “Corner’s Space” at KANEKO and have performed poetry in various galleries. In 2023, several of their selected poems were aired on “Friday Live'' with Nebraska Public Media through NPR. Their work has been exhibited at MoonRise Gallery, Fleabane Gallery, Goldsmith Silversmith, LUX Center for the Arts, Generator Space, Family of Things, and Union Street Gallery. Currently, Aspen is one of the selected artists for the Alternate Currents Cohort through Amplify Arts. In addition, they were awarded a scholarship for Penland School of Craft to attend in Summer of 2024.
Artur Melika is an Omaha-based, queer, Ukrainian-American artist. Melika received his BFA from University of Nebraska Omaha in December of 2022. Art’s current work explores the vastness of the queer experience and how it manifests for individuals coming from different backgrounds. His primary focus is in 2D mediums including printmaking, drawing and painting. Melika is also exploring guerrilla style performance-based work, in public and gallery settings.