Krista Chalkley
hallowed be thy Name
On View: February 23 – April 20, 2024 I Main Gallery
Opening Reception: Friday, February 23, 2024 | 6 - 8 PM
Artist Talk: Saturday, February 24, 2024 | Starting at 2 PM
“Some will say that all we have are the pleasures of this moment, but we must never settle for that minimal transport; we must dream and enact new and better pleasures, other ways of being in the world, and ultimately new worlds.” - José Esteban Muñoz
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hallowed be thy name is an exhibition featuring textiles, sculpture, and mixed media installation by Chicago-based artist Krista Chalkley. Serving as a queered reimagining of a Gothic cathedral, this body of work subverts traditional motifs of Christian iconography by imbuing them with exaltations of queerness in an attempt to heal religious trauma and facilitate reparative discussions surrounding queer worth.
Historically, the institution of the Christian Church has held bias towards the queer community. Though the religion is divided on its views of queerness, it is often falsely equated to a lack of morality and wielded as an excuse to deny one’s humanity. This has in turn contributed to a larger systemic misperception of queerness, informing the way it is treated in society from interpersonal relationships to nationwide legislation.
hallowed be thy name rejects this narrative by carving space to honor queerness within the very walls that have excluded it. Emulating colorful stained glass windows, translucent fabric works emerge from gallery walls recounting stories of queer agency and liberation. Within them, political movements are parables to learn from, and historical figures are saints to be honored for their sacrifices. Hidden queer histories of Catholic icons are explored, and interactive elements transform orthodox rituals into exercises of queer empowerment.
Through inclusive placement and the use of entangled, interconnecting forms, the exhibition deconstructs the traditional hierarchical structure of the Church to emphasize principle tenets of community and fellowship. Central to the works is a large tablescape referencing the last supper, relating the disciples to the idea of chosen family. Entitled dinner party, the installation is made up of individual place settings each provided by different members of the artist’s own queer chosen family.
By act of reclamation, hallowed be thy name pays reverence to queerness and commemorates moments of collective joy, sorrow, resistance, and belonging.
Artist Bio
Krista Chalkley (they/them, b. 1994) is a multidisciplinary artist and arts administrator from Dallas, TX. They received their BA in Visual and Performing Arts in 2018 from The University of Texas at Dallas. Throughout their career, Krista has worked to facilitate curation, public programming, and community building for several museums, galleries, and arts organizations in Dallas. Most notably, they served as the Assistant Director and Manager of Operations at Erin Cluley Gallery, and volunteered on committees benefitting the Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas and the Emergency Artists’ Support League that provide various grants and opportunities to local artists.
Krista’s work has been exhibited at venues such as Art League Houston, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, Arts Fort Worth, Ro2 Art, and the AT&T Showcase gallery in the Dallas Discovery District. In 2022, Krista was awarded the Arch and Anne Giles Kimbrough Fund by the Dallas Museum of Art in support of their practice– a grant for which they were subsequently invited to guest juror the following year. Currently, Krista lives and works in Chicago, IL while pursuing their MFA in Fiber and Material Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Instagram: @bonepyramid