Praying Mantises, Pink Horses, And Pride Collide In ‘Queer In Nature’
The free Central Park exhibition highlighting queerness in nature is a must-see.
Outside The Arsenal in Central Park, a vibrant sign of yellow, green, and pink catches the attention of those passing by. Praying mantises are shown playfully perched upon daisies. One praying mantis, in particular, is painted as if it were looking right at the viewer.
Between these fluid brushstrokes, amidst the hypnotizing green eyes of the insect, we’re reminded of our connectedness to the environment around us.
Queer in Nature, the group exhibition presented by the NYC Parks’ Stonewall Society, is mesmerizing. On the third floor of The Arsenal, tall white walls are decorated with the works of Ben Eshleman, Brian J. Soliwoda, Brien Mosley, Diane Matyas, Ella Mahoney, Franco Aveau, Gabrielle Vitollo, Katelyn Graha, Kayleen Berry, Noah Bassman, Patrice Payne, Sachie Hayashi, Shantell Martin, Shira Toren, and Taylor Tropiano. Their works featured in the exhibition highlight queerness in everyday urban and natural environments, challenging the viewer’s notions of hierarchies and binaries imposed upon us and nature.
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“Borders, nationality, age, gender, and time—while these categories may seem natural, they are constructs created by humans to facilitate social interaction and understanding of the world around us,” says the exhibition statement. “To recognize a social construct, consider whether the concept objectively applies to all living beings.”
If you walk around the gallery, you will find yourself greeted with a wide range of mediums that challenge anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric that queerness is “unnatural.” From oil paintings to sculptures, photography, and more, there is something for everyone to enjoy in this exhibition that celebrates the beauty of the queer experience.
Get lost in the works of Gabrielle Vitollo, whose painting ‘Marching Mantis’ (the painting used to promote the show) whimsically explores the fluid power dynamic of the insect and its non-heteronormative reproductive behaviors.
Or let yourself revel in the metamorphosis of the butterfly in their painting ‘Butterfreaks,’ where the insect’s beauty thrives in nonconformity.
Watch a neon pink horse hop over a mirror in ‘Sweeter than Sugarcane’ by Kayleen Berry. Learn about gay birds and queer community in birdwatching in the paintings of Katelyn Graham. Honor the history of those who contributed to the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in ‘Marsha, Marsha, Marsha’ by Brien Mosley, who painted Marsha P Johnson over the colors of the trans flag.
Queer in Nature reminds us that queerness is the celebration of all forms and ways of life. In this space, we remember that queerness is all around us, from the insects that fly around Central Park to the streets where queer pioneers fought for our right to love and exist freely.
Queer in Nature is on view until August 20, 2025.
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