With Bells On

The set design for With Bells On takes inspiration from many aspects of the queer community. Of course there is the elevator, a deconstructed version, but it’s the walls beyond that I used to showcase the 2SLGBTQIAP+ community. It was important to me to exemplify the history of the queer identity and explore the queer zeitgeist in Calgary. 

You may notice iconography in the graffiti wall of famous artists throughout history. I wanted to take inspiration from artists who have both shaped my artistic practice and also shaped how the world sees and celebrates queer people. Featured artists include Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Indiana, Andy Worhol, and Keith Haring. Each of these artists are celebrated for their artistic impact but also for their representation of the queer community. They were willing to stand in their truth and that opened doors for the queer community. 

On top of their work, there is the Calgary skyline. This is to reflect how the community in Calgary builds upon the past, to create an ever blossoming representation of queer people. 

The final layer of the graffiti wall and the set are graffiti tags. These tags are names of drag kings, queens and non-binary artists local to Calgary. When exploring ways to represent our local community, I wanted to include our vibrant and diverse drag scene. Lunchbox put out a call and had forty-six local drag artists send in their names! They are all featured somewhere in our set! They sent in their social media handles so you can follow them and experience our incredible local drag.

The last piece was hiring a local graffiti artist, Harvey Nichol, to bring life and dimension to the work. He has taken my drawings and brought them to life in a way that gives power to graffiti. I hope this set serves as a reminder that queer culture and identity is vibrant and thriving in Calgary.