Art graduate curates ‘Uhauled’ exhibition in Norfolk festival
Since completing her art degree in photography studies at Radford University, Cat Baker ’17 hasn’t sat idly by. In addition to displaying works at multiple galleries in Norfolk, Virginia, she recently curated a unique pop-up show as part of Norfolk’s Neon Festival. “Uhauled” was a one-night pop-up gallery that took place on Oct. 19 in a parking lot on Virginia Beach Boulevard as part of the city-wide celebration. Each featured artist had their own U-Haul truck to display art. The exhibit brought together the works of six LGBTQ + women artists displaying their work from a gallery of U-Haul moving trucks.
The concept “was a play on the stereotype of the U-Haul lesbian,” Baker said, referring to a joke within the LGBTQ + community that suggests that lesbians often move in together after a second date. While she laughs at that notion, Baker admits that there was a more serious theme behind the exhibition. “It was more about having the public involved in learning about the lack of safe spaces for queer women and how they feel in today’s environment,” Baker said.
Baker was pleased with the turnout, noting that for most of the duration of the one-night event there were lines to get into the U-Haul trucks.
A variety of styles and works were featured at the festival, including large-scale installation pieces and even poetry. Some of the displays were interactive and provided opportunities for guests to contribute to artworks by writing or drawing on them.
Norfolk’s Neon Festival was her first curated show, and she says that she learned a lot from the experience. “There is a lot that goes into putting something like this together,” Baker said. “You have to write proposals and contracts, find and organize the artists, and determine how the installations will be displayed.”
Following her experience curating the show, Baker was invited to speak to the “Ethical Inquiry in the Visual Arts and Museums” class taught by Dr. Roann Barris, professor and chair of the Department of Art. During her presentation to the class, Baker shared her experience putting together “Uhauled” as well as her own challenges living and working as a practicing artist.
“Cat brought real world experiences into our class,” Barris said. “Her exhibition used an unusual format and provided a good example of how artists and curators can think creatively and get their work out, which, after all, is what they have to do.”