Spend part of your lunch hour taking in a show by performer, educator and activist Dr. Lady J during Lunch on Fridays at 12:15pm Friday, September 30 in CIA’s Mary Ann and Jack Katzenmeyer Student Lounge.
Lady J will produce a special performance inspired by artist Loraine Lynn’s FRONT exhibition installation, JOY(full), which is comprised of lively organically shaped fiber constructions that invite touch and incite joy. The performance will take place at the site of Lynn’s installation in the Katzenmeyer Student Lounge.
An exciting opportunity to introduce drag to new audiences and expand expectations of institutional space, Lady J’s performance will include extraordinary costuming inspired by Lynn’s vibrant use of color and geometry, as well as a unique soundtrack that combines elements of text and music.
An example of how artist relationships inspire and nurture new ideas and further discourse, Lynn and Lady J’s contributions remind us that the potential for joy exists within our authentic expression and that in itself is a radical act.
Dr. Lady J is a non-binary trans-woman, celebrated Cleveland Drag Queen, historian, educator and award-winning activist. Awarded the Trans Education Award by Margie’s Hope in 2022, a Northeast Ohio organization dedicated to providing resources and services to enrich the lives of Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive people, Lady J is a multifaceted practitioner and creative tour de force.
Loraine Lynn is an interdisciplinary artist based in Toledo, Ohio and 2014 CIA alum. Originally trained in glass and ceramics, Lynn turned to textiles as a counterpoint to those traditionally male-dominated fields. Her focus on hand production also questions the region’s association with assembly-line labor and manufacturing, emphasizing how craft and the joy of making can bring people together.
All visitors are required to follow CIA's masking protocols, which change based on the CDC's Community Level for Cuyahoga County. To view current masking requirements, visit cia.edu/covid.