QRAVE is a deeply personal and politically charged exhibition and performance piece by Jessi Ryan, a queer artist, journalist, and storyteller. Part research project, part immersive artwork, QRAVE uncovers and celebrates the queer histories of Melbourne’s City of Yarra and Birrarung Marr, a place where activism, struggle, and community resilience have shaped the past and present.
The exhibition features eight histories, told through powerful interviews and interactive QR codes that unlock the voices of local Blak queer activists, HIV survivors, and community elders. Bold murals, created by Ryan in just three days, transform the exhibition space and speak to themes of resistance, protest, and personal narrative. Inspired by the iconic Keith Haringartwork in Collingwood, Ryan’s own symbols and hieroglyphs communicate complex stories of survival and the intersections of non-binary identity, HIV, sex work, and social justice.
Directed by Dan Newell, this performance piece is a fierce and intimate exploration of queer history, performed by Ryan in eight-inch heels. Blurring the lines between performance and visual art, QRAVE invites audiences to reflect on the legacies of those who fought for pride, visibility, and justice.
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