Current Exhibition
Pulse Nightclub: 49 Elegies by John Gutowsky
Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA
This summer, the Sordoni Art Gallery explores "Remembrance, Resistance, Resilience." John Gutowsky's 49 Elegies honors the 49 lives lost at Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016, alongside Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA — a community exhibition and series of events celebrating connection, empathy, and visibility.
More about the Exhibits
PULSE Nightclub: 49 Elegies is a series made by artist John Gutoskey to honor and commemorate the 49 individuals massacred at the LGBTQ Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016. Gutoskey uses symbols that are personal to him and his experience as a gay man, and combines them with other cultural and spiritual iconography that are more universally understood to create the 49 visual elegies or poems.
-John GutoskeyAlthough I did not know any of the victims personally, I felt an overwhelming sense of anger followed by a broad feeling of loss and an almost metaphysical sadness that this had happened to the LGBTQ community; that it had happened inside what was supposed to be a safe, sacred queer space; and that it had happened to a minority within a minority, as it was Latin night at PULSE Nightclub.
-Dan Savage, queer writer and activistDuring the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for. It didn’t look like we were going to win then, and we did. It doesn’t feel like we’re going to win now, but we could. Keep fighting, keep dancing.
Presented in partnership with the NEPA Pride Project, Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA explores remembrance, resistance, and resilience in the LGBTQIA+ community. These concepts sometimes feel like the pillars of queer existence.
Remembering all those who came before us, existing in silence and being erased. For those who were brave enough to be seen, to face persecution, dying at the hands of fellow humans and disease that was viewed as "punishment." Fighting for existence, for acceptance in the eyes of both government and neighbors - literally throwing bricks to demand justice. And, finally, existence rooted in resilience, unapologetic truth, and joy. Knowing that queer people have always been here, and will continue to be here.
Events
Exhibition Opening: Pulse Nightclub: 49 Elegies by John Gutowsky | Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA
Pulse Nightclub: 49 Elegies by John Gutowsky | Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA
June 12 – August 1, 2026
This summer, Sordoni Art Gallery explores “Remembrance, Resistance, Resilience.” John Gutowsky’s 49 Elegies honors the 49 lives lost at Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016, alongside Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA — a community exhibition and series of events celebrating connection, empathy, and visibility.
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PULSE Nightclub: 49 Elegies is a series made by artist John Gutoskey to honor and commemorate the 49 individuals massacred at the LGBTQ Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016. Gutoskey uses symbols that are personal to him and his experience as a gay man, and combines them with other cultural and spiritual iconography that are more universally understood to create the 49 visual elegies or poems.
Although I did not know any of the victims personally, I felt an overwhelming sense of anger followed by a broad feeling of loss and an almost metaphysical sadness that this had happened to the LGBTQ community; that it had happened inside what was supposed to be a safe, sacred queer space; and that it had happened to a minority within a minority, as it was Latin night at PULSE Nightclub.
- John Gutoskey
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During the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for. It didn’t look like we were going to win then, and we did. It doesn’t feel like we’re going to win now, but we could. Keep fighting, keep dancing.
Dan Savage, queer writer and activist
Presented in partnership with the NEPA Pride Project, Out Loud: LGBTQIA+ Visibility in NEPA explores remembrance, resistance, and resilience in the LGBTQIA+ community. These concepts sometimes feel like the pillars of queer existence.
Remembering all those who came before us, existing in silence and being erased. For those who were brave enough to be seen, to face persecution, dying at the hands of fellow humans and disease that was viewed as “punishment.” Fighting for existence, for acceptance in the eyes of both government and neighbors – literally throwing bricks to demand justice. And, finally, existence rooted in resilience, unapologetic truth, and joy. Knowing that queer people have always been here, and will continue to be here.
Remembrance Ceremony; featuring performances by Phoenix Davis, Trixy Valentine & Assétou Xango
Held on the 10th anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting—now recognized as Pulse Remembrance Day—this ceremony honors the lives lost while acknowledging the far-reaching impact of violence and erasure across queer communities. Featuring performances by Phoenix Davis, Trixy Valentine, and Assétou Xango, the event creates space for reflection, collective mourning, and shared resilience.
Art in Context Panel Discussion: Advocating for Queer Visibility in NEPA
A timely conversation on queer visibility and advocacy in Northeastern Pennsylvania, this Art in Context panel brings elected officials into dialogue with community voices. Moderated by Assétou Xango of the Dark Goddess Collective, the event centers policy, lived experience, and the ongoing work of building equitable, visible futures in NEPA.
Register for Art in Context Panel Discussion: Advocating for Queer Visibility in NEPA
MEMBERS ONLY – Private Meet & Greet with Mrs. Kasha Davis
Before the Art in Context Lecture: Drag, Community, & Resilience by RuPaul’s Drag Race Mrs. Kasha Davis, a private meet & greet for gallery members will be held starting at 5 pm.
This event is for members of the Sordoni Arts Gallery.
Register for MEMBERS ONLY – Private Meet & Greet with Mrs. Kasha Davis
Art in Context Lecture: Drag, Community, & Resilience by RuPaul’s Drag Race Mrs. Kasha Davis
An evening of storytelling, humor, and performance, Mrs. Kasha Davis—known for her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race and beloved for her wit, warmth, and mantra “there’s always time for a kindness”-– lectures explores the intersections of drag, community, and resilience. Recognized with the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award, she brings candor, humor, and insight to the stage that is grounded in the belief that kindness and self-acceptance can be powerful tools for navigating adversity. The program concludes with live performances celebrating queer joy, connection, and collective strength.
*Private Meet & Greet with Mrs. Kasha Davis for Sordoni Gallery Members at 5 PM.
Registration is required for the meet & greet, lecture, and performance events.
Mrs. Kasha Davis Pride Performances
Art in Context Lecture: Drag, Community, & Resilience by RuPaul’s Drag Race Mrs. Kasha Davis will be followed by performances beginning at 7 pm.
More about the scheduled performers to come!
Registration is required for the meet & greet, lecture, and performance events.