Queer Joy: An Exuberant Exhibition
may 9 - june 1
This exhibition featured 24 visual artists with our first international submission being from Poland.
About the Exhibition
Queer Joy opened on May 9, 2025, at Uncanny Art House during the 2nd Friday Art Walk and marked the start of a month-long 2SLGBTQIA+ celebration centering queer self-expression, resistance, and happiness. Organized by Rai Fordyce, Helen Grant, and Julius, this exhibition featured with plush unicorn sculptures representing Trans, Non-Binary, and Queer Pride, hobby horses, tactile installations, and a curated queer library.
Through vibrant visuals and engaging sensory experiences, Queer Joy invited guests to read, play, explore, and rest by creating a space where queerness could thrive through imagination, comfort, and connection. This exhibition featured a full month of event programming happening every Saturday of the month. This exhibition was made possible by Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition grant funding, private funding, and exhibition development space at Resonator Institute.
about the organizers
Helen and Rai after Draglesque ended at the Opolis after party.
helen grant
Helen Grant, a multiracial artist and OU grad in Professional Writing, blends surrealism with activism. Since 2020, their political art has tackled issues like anti-Asian hate and police violence. As a Queer Joy organizer, Grant champions queer artists of color and mutual aid through art.
rai Fordyce
Rai Fordyce is a self-taught, multidisciplinary queer artist and performer. For 13 years, they’ve fused recycled textiles with performance art, activism, and fashion. As a single mom and longtime community organizer, Fordyce uplifts queer voices and builds creative spaces amid political turmoil and cultural erasure.
Together, this team has created the Unicorn Workers Union that is a traveling and experimental arts collective that will continue the Queer Joy exhibition through their traveling library.
One of kind ceramic unicorn skulls by Helen Grant.
queer joy
At its heart, Queer Joy is a radical, affirming response to rising hostility toward queer communities, especially in Oklahoma. By centering queer joy as a tool for resilience, the exhibition uplifted voices too often pushed to the margins.
Beyond visibility, the exhibition emphasized economic empowerment by compensating queer and BIPOC artists and vendors, while cultivating real opportunities for professional and emerging creatives to grow their portfolios and connect with supportive audiences.
Featured Artists
Velveteen, Dwadlings Art, Esha Miyata, Luke Lusk, Pam Sanford, MG-INK-ART, Icarus Jan, Emily Spivey, Dylan Albertson, Dillon Reseck, Evan Rinne, Jay Wilcox, KT Bug, Cat, Aud Hamby, Maeve Wise, Yellow Monroe, Rachel Ann Kendrick, Joey Cannon, KT DUFFY, Jamie Bates, Jonathan Sangster
Featured Vendors
Queer Joy partnered with local queer-owned and queer-supportive businesses, including: Wildcat Lending Library, Norman Pride, and PFLAG Norman, to create inclusive, accessible, and economically supportive experiences for the community. We had local vendor Stitches by Venus that contributed handmade goods highlighting the skills and talents of our local queer artists and providing a platform for them to have their work seen.
Draglesque – May 17, 2025
Draglesque brought the house down with a bold and unapologetic adult-themed performance night blending drag, burlesque, and queer cabaret. Featuring Oklahoma’s finest drag and burlesque talent, the event created a dazzling, safe space for radical body positivity and theatrical queer joy.
Featured Performers:
Kronie Kay, GiGi KoochyKilla, Joans Wett, Maxx LaTour, Lola LaRoux, Death Became Him, Hunter Mandalay-Matrix, Sun Day Soleil
Story & Song Night – May 24, 2025
Story & Song was an all-ages evening of queer storytelling and live music, spotlighting Oklahoma’s rich 2SLGBTQIA+ talent. The event celebrated lived experiences and the power of shared narrative, offering space for vulnerability, connection, and pride.
Featured Performers:
Helen Grant, Rai Fordyce, Johnnie Curtin, Oklahoma Action Chorus
FILM SCREENING
BOYMODE, a Queer Made Short by Dylan Albertson and Andromeda Johnson, Thrive! Powerhouse Grant Recipients. This short follows protagonaist Reese, a young trans woman and artist living in a post-drag ban Oklahoma City.
Why It Matters
In a state where queer and trans Oklahomans face social and economic challenges, Queer Joy offered something tangible: a space to be seen, celebrated, and supported.
Gallery Hours:
Thursdays–Saturdays: 12–8 PM
Sundays: 12–6 PM
Exhibition Dates: May 9 – June 1, 2025
Location: Uncanny Art House, 106 E Main St, Norman, OK
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