St. Louis’s Contemporary Art Museum hosted SLU Vogue for its “Sights & Sounds” event on Feb. 6, encouraging visitors to both engage in ballroom culture and appreciate contemporary artists.
SLU Vogue’s Valentine’s-themed runway showcased self-dressed looks with outfit concepts by creative director Grace Moore. Ballroom coordinator Anthony Hoskins enjoyed participating in the group’s first off-campus event.
“I’m just so grateful that the organization is growing,” Hoskins said. “I’m just grateful for all of the love and support that we receive from the community of SLU, and I’m just excited for what’s to come.”
Vogue president Riviera Ell said she hopes to continue hosting events in the community. The organization plans to host a collaborative event to teach young participants how to walk in heels and learn about the runway.
An audience participation portion followed the initial runway. Host Kira Bodega explained three categories of competition: realness, streetwear and voguing.
The first category highlights the fashion of those who aren’t easily identifiable as queer or transgender.
“If they’re like a transgender woman or transgender man, and they can walk out on the streets and not be clocked, … or they’re a gay man, and they can’t be clocked, and nobody can tell, that’s realness,” Bodega said. “The reason why this category was created is because it wasn’t safe to be our authentic selves in the 1980s.”
Streetwear refers to everyday, accessible but high-fashion looks, and voguing is a style of dance originating from ballroom culture. Three audience members judged the Vogue models’ looks and performances in each category.
Many audience members joined the runway to show off their outfits. Sophomore studio art major RJ Muhammad dressed for the occasion and shared her enthusiasm for the experience.
“I dressed the best I could, and I was so excited about my outfit,” Muhammad said. “I was starstruck.”
Muhammad further highlighted the importance of uplifting local artists and said the community has a need for groups like SLU Vogue.
“I think St. Louis has a variety of different artists. A lot of them are unsung,” Muhammad said. “I think it’s so important for us to uplift ballroom culture, especially in this political state right now. People are determined to erase history. You can’t erase this.”
Hoskins commented similarly on Vogue’s current importance.
“As much as we can showcase our talent, showcase our love for one another and just give back to the community, I feel like that’s what makes ballroom so important,” Hoskins said.
“Sights & Sounds” is part of a series of events hosted on Free First Fridays — an opportunity for patrons to enjoy museums in the Grand Center Arts District for free the first Friday of each month until 9 p.m.
CAM has a different theme every month, previously hosting winter wonderland and New Year’s reset craft events, said senior art history major and CAM employee Lear Rose.
“CAM First Fridays are always exciting, interesting and offer a chance to connect with people in a context where you can relax and be yourself,” Rose said.
“Sights & Sounds” featured the final activation of Haegue Yang’s “Mound Vehicles,” a mobile sculpture inspired by the Cahokia Mounds. In the activation, four facilitators moved the pieces of the sculpture in a choreographed sequence set to music.
Rose said that CAM frequently highlights unique pieces from contemporary artists like Yang.
“They have artist talks where you can meet and hear the artist’s perspective,” Rose said. “It’s really just a great way to get involved in the St. Louis art scene and learn something new.”
CAM’s next Free First Friday will be an opening celebration for the new spring and summer exhibits on March 6.
