New York
New York marked a breakthrough.
The Gay Soup Project brought my work to Select Art Fair during Frieze Week 2015. Inspired by pop culture, queer identity, humor, and commentary, the series transformed an iconic American symbol into a playful yet provocative conversation about visibility, pride, and belonging.
Gay Soup Project
The Gay Soup Project began unexpectedly in my studio. I had been creating soup can paintings inspired by pop art and the iconic work of Andy Warhol when Carolyn Kramer, gallery manager and co-owner of Jo Hay Open Studio, saw them on my website.
She encouraged me to push the concept further by creating “gay” versions, transforming the familiar soup can into something playful, provocative, and deeply personal.
What followed was a growing series of cans featuring queer identities, slang, archetypes, and cultural references. Some were humorous, some cheeky, and some more pointed, but all celebrated visibility, pride, and belonging. Each can became a small portrait, reflecting the many ways we see and name ourselves within queer culture.
The series eventually gained wider attention and helped lead to my inclusion in the Select Art Fair during Frieze Week 2015 in New York.
