Rebecca Chmielewski

My art attempts to bring attention and visibility to the history and lives of the LGBTQ community. I use my unique perspective and age to bridge the gap between those who lived through the early days of struggle, and the relative unencumbered experience of a younger generation. I claim my identity and use it as a point of departure for more in-depth investigation, which speaks to the larger value of art to inform and elicit change.

My art functions at the intersection of art, activism, and social justice. I engage my audience in the world, challenge others to address tough questions, and encourage change. I create and facilitate interactive experiences within constructed communities to provoke dialogue between disparate groups of people. I see myself as a “generational mediator” who can shift public perception, to bring to the forefront the fact that no matter how any one person identifies, we are all deserving of basic human rights and compassion. It is necessary to create work that ties art to life in personal ways, yet strives to reach a wider audience and resonate with this basic human compassion.

We are always asking people to come to the mountain. I want to bring the mountain to the people, so that they can have a relationship with something that is local.