Make Visible
Make Visible is an ongoing, community led project developed by artist, curator, and activist Shannon Novak.
Aim
To grow support for LGBTQI+ communities worldwide by making visible challenges and triumphs for these communities through the lens of the arts.
Key oBJECTIVES
This project seeks to:
Reduce rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide in LGBTQI+ communities.
Create positive, meaningful, and sustained change for LGBTQI+ communities.
Centre and amplify BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) LGBTQI+ voices.
Collect, archive, and share LGBTQI+ heritage.
Increase awareness and knowledge of LGBTQI+ communities.
Share local LGBTQI+ knowledge and skills.
Collaboratively research, develop, present, and evaluate new work.
Increase awareness and knowledge of the arts as a way to drive and support positive, meaningful, and sustained change for LGBTQI+ communities.
Key APPROACH
This project seek to achieves its objectives through social practice.
The logo
The project logo was developed by Novak. It is a heart shape formed by merging the initials of the project name “M” and “V”. The colour spectrum inside represents LGBTQI+ communities.
Origins
Novak developed this project as his contribution to The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10) in 2021 at the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The project launched in September 2021 through a series of interventions inside the gallery and outside the gallery (satellite spaces), making visible key challenges and triumphs local (Queensland) LGBTQI+ communities face.
DOCUMENTATION
This page will track outputs of the project below.
Make Visible: Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Location: Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington, New Zealand.
Year commenced: 2022.
Key supporter: Wellington City Council.
Key outcomes:
Increased visibility and support of LGBTQI+ communities.
Increased engagement between LGBTQI+ communities and archives, businesses, and government organisations.
Centred and amplified LGBTQI+ voices through public installations.
Increased amount of archived and shared local LGBTQI+ heritage.
Increased number of safe spaces for LGBTQI+ communities in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
Improved process for wiping historical homosexual convictions in New Zealand.
Make Visible: Taranaki
Location: Taranaki, New Zealand.
Year commenced: 2022.
Key supporter: Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre.
Key outcomes:
Increased visibility and support of LGBTQI+ communities.
Increased engagement between LGBTQI+ communities and the gallery.
Centred and amplified LGBTQI+ voices through public installations.
Make Visible: Queensland
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Year commenced: 2021.
Key supporter: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA).
Key outcomes:
Increased visibility and support of LGBTQI+ communities, particularly LGBTQI+ youth, families, and communities in rural areas.
Increased engagement between LGBTQI+ communities and galleries, museums, and universities.
Centred and amplified LGBTQI+ voices through public programs.
Archived project content from local LGBTQI+ communities as a new collection in the QAGOMA Research Library Special Collections.
Established the QAGOMA Inclusion Group (QIG) to drive positive and inclusive space for staff, visitors, and stakeholders.