It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To, celebrates gathering, embracing community, and ‘finding your table.’ Community is an integral part of my being; tables like the one I have assembled in this exhibition are spaces to enjoy the finer things in life and to appreciate and be inspired by those dear to our hearts. I believe that within a community, you can find belonging and purpose, discovering those who relate to you and see you for who you really are. In my community, I have been fortunate to find radical love and acceptance that has warmed my heart in ways different from any romantic or familial love I have experienced. Community has also provided me with a framework for creative collaboration, for which I am incredibly thankful. 

For this exhibition, I invited each artist to participate by making a table setting for the show, with their place settings reflecting their own unique style. The table is adorned with serving platters, bowls, cups, plates, candelabras, vases, a tablecloth, and a floral arrangement perfectly pieced together by a local florist. This show was inspired in part by Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party (1974-79); yet whereas Chicago commemorated the historic contributions of feminist icons in the settings around her table, on my table I seek to honor the work of artists who have been consistent sources of inspiration, guidance, and friendship in my own career thus far. 

I extend my heartfelt thanks to the featured artists: Amy Sanders, Andrew King, Cort Hartle, Dakota Parkinson, Dominique Ostuni, Fairbrother, Finn Schult, Kero Johannes, Kyra Connolly, Maggie Adams, Naomi Peterson, Taylor A Mezo, Tucker Claxton, and Yael Braha, as well as to Vincent Lynch for his construction support. 

Everyone is invited for dinner. There is always room at my table for you.

Curated by Gretchen McCloy for The Department of Contemporary Art, Tampa

Installation photos by Jeremy Phillip