Two of a Kind

Ryan Allen

Growing up in a heteronormative social structure leads many LGBTQ+ members (myself included) to have our sexual orientation imposed on us at a young age, particularly within educational systems. Understanding my bisexual identity has been a predominant hurdle within my life and even to do this day, it has left me with continuing scars that will never fully heal. But because of the constant battles surrounding my sexual identity whether that be physical or emotional bullying, I have grown to understand and celebrate the person I have become today. In this artwork "Two Of A Kind" I have created a 3D environment that places the viewer into an immersive classroom setting. It is here that I have covered the walls in imagery that delves into the struggles of my sexual identity and concepts revolving around bisexual erasure.

“Two Of A Kind” presses those issues but more importantly I wanted to create a dialogue in which people who feel this sense of disassociation between their own communities can have their own space to reflect and feel comfortable being whoever they want to be without judgement. The subject matter brings up a whole can of worms about gender roles that society has built itself upon, forcing acceptable behavior and interactions between others; which to me is inexcusable and must be addressed. If successful, the takeaways from this visual narrative will not only bring awareness to human sexuality at its current state, but also a way to reflect on how community systems operate as a whole and the need for positive/supportive social change and acceptance.

Two of a Kind (New Art City): _{Link to New Art City}