SEPTEMBER 21 – NOVEMBER 3
Galusha Gallery
Virtual Tour available September 26
Queer Alchemy explored the pull between what is perceived as natural versus artifice and how each is given a value in art, object, and the queer/transgender experience. Sarah Knight is a transgender ceramic artist who uses experimental materials to create works that embody a “queer alchemy” and question if all matter is queer in a state of transformation. Knight’s current work is meant to foster dialogue about the hyper-categorization and politicization of gender identity, using ceramics as the medium that embodies both found and made, and honors the joy and process of becoming. These works also hold space for the grief that national anti-transgender legislation creates.
Visitors were welcome to interact with handheld fake “rocks” made of reclaimed clay from Knight’s friends and community. These “fake rocks” are formed entirely out of discarded scrap clay that they carve to reveal the strata and geology of Knight’s community. The goal of the show was to immerse visitors in a space of queer becoming, filled with material fascination and fragmentation that gave purpose to both natural and made sculptural elements.
About the Artist
Sarah Knight (they/them) is an artist and arts educator living and working in Saint Louis, Missouri. They grew up in the San Francisco Bay area where they received their BFA from Mills College at Northeastern University (Oakland) in 2013. They graduated with an MFA from Washington University (Saint Louis, MO) in 2020. They have been awarded several additional residencies, including at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts (Newcastle, ME), Jentel Artist Residency Program (Banner, WY), and Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. In 2021, Knight was one of two Whitaker Foundation Artists-in-Residence at Craft Alliance (St. Louis, MO). Their work has been shown in galleries regionally and nationally. Knight’s first solo exhibition opened at Foundry Art Centre (St. Charles, MO) in April of 2022. They recently received an Artist Support Grant from the Regional Arts Commission of Saint Louis to support the development of new work.
Related Event
Artist Talk: Sarah Knight
Sarah Knight welcomed guests into NCC’s Library for an artist talk about their work and process. The evening ended with a special private preview of their exhibition.
FREE, NCC Library and virtual