The 204 Hosts ‘Outside Straight Lines’ Pride Month Exhibit

“Outside Straight Lines” is a Pride Month community art exhibit running for the entire month of June in the library at The 204, located at 204 Sisson Rd. in Harwich. The exhibit, sponsored by the Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod, aims to amplify the voices of LGBTQ+ artists across Cape Cod. Eighteen artists including Jo Hay, Paul Rizzo and Christopher Sousa are among the skilled creatives showcasing their work.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from sales of artwork in the exhibit will go to the artists.

“Outside Straight Lines” arose out of concern that much of the LGBTQ+ art across the Cape has been unintentionally segregated to Provincetown, often forcing those showing their work elsewhere on the Cape into self-censorship. In a time when book banning of LGBTQ+ literature is occurring across the country, the exhibit is intentionally housed in a former middle school library, acting as a moment of reclamation and agency.

“I am impressed by our LGBTQ+ community for its strength and resilience,” said event organizer, curator and artist David Cravenho. “Growing up Queer as a child and navigating life through the lens of a straight world is quite the feat.”

The exhibit not only hosts 18 LGBTQ+ artists in a single space but also celebrates the vast diversity of the Cape Cod LGBTQ+ artist community, featuring works ranging from expressionist figures to realistic Cape Cod landscapes. Cravenho said he believes strongly in art’s ability to armor oneself.

“Becoming an adult as an artist and putting on your survival mechanism to express your power through your work is a gift from beyond ourselves,” Cravenho said.

The artists included in the exhibit are Mark Adams, John Besaw, John Bonanni, Larry Collins, David Cravenho, Joerg Dressler , Beth Faherty, Jo Hay, Kenneth Hawkey, Megan Hinton, Pete Hocking, Marc Kundmann, Fran O’Neill, Lio Olin, Paul Rizzo, Christopher Sousa, Alan Trugman and Laurence Young. The exhibit was hung by artist Michelle Law.

The 204’s hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and weekends by chance or by appointment. For more information visit 204sisson.com or call 508-301-1913.