Across every time and culture, people use their bodies as a canvas to express who they are. Like customizable video game avatars, people present their identity with adornment and modification; through hair style, clothing, makeup, piercing, tattoos, and surgery. Expressing oneself through their body is particularly important within marginalized communities, especially for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people. In this way, our bodies are all artworks, a site of continuous change and creativity. 

Curated by Jake Foster, Making Appearance presents five artists whose artwork creatively engages with personal representation, either of themselves or others within their communities. While the artists explore various identities (such as race, gender, sexuality, and class) they also expand on these categories in unique ways.