Barry 17:27

Religion imposes intimate struggles on queer youth, who feel predestined for eternal damnation and contort themselves to fit the heteronormative and cisnormative mold required for salvation. I navigate this struggle through lived experiences shaped by Midwestern Catholicism.

The moon mask recurs as a symbol of queer masking, questioning Western worship and reflecting my belief in honoring what tangibly gives us life.

Color once felt especially vulnerable, openly inviting external judgment. Vibrant palettes reclaims my relationship with color and evokes memories of light passing through stained glass onto a congregation. In my work, that divine light is now redirected onto queer figures, reframing queerness as something sacred rather than condemned.

February 2026 | Barry 17:27, Solo Exhibition, Center on Halsted, Chicago, IL