Inspiration and the Authentic Self with Laurie Lynch

Our newest exhibition, A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, examines six personality types of a queen through fashion, photography, and avant-garde art.

One of those personality types is the Thespian. Blessed with imagination and driven by the desire to entertain, the Thespian is symbolized through rainbow colors, feathers, and dramatic fashion.

Theater artist Laurie Lynch is an excellent example of that archetype.

With an MFA in Contemporary Performance from Naropa University and a BA in Theatre Arts and Dance, Lynch’s performance experiences run the gamut from traditional Shakespeare to contemporary drama, to drag. In 2018, they were recognized as an Intiman Emerging Artist, where they began developing their one-person show "Dandyland: Queering Motherhood One Day at a Time." 

On May 10, Laurie will join five other storytellers from She is FIERCE on stage to share the stories that live in their clothes at the opening party for A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes.

Learn more about Laurie in our interview below.

Interview with Laurie Lynch

What attracts you to storytelling as a medium?

Storytelling, for me, is about the ritual, the connection, the sharing, and the in-the-moment experience where I can't distract myself from being present.

What artists are inspiring your work currently?

Lizzo, Sara Porkalob, Leigh Fondakowski, Taylor Mac, Alok Vain Menon, I mean the list goes on . . . anyone who is boldly, unapologetically being their authentic self inspires me.

My four-year-old inspires me [through] how he imagines worlds, and my 20-month-old inspires me in how he engages with everything around him. They are beautiful artists in their own right.

A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes is themed around six archetypes: Thespian, Mother Earth, Explorer, Enchantress, Sage, and Heroine. Which archetype do you most identify with and why?

I identify with the Thespian and the Explorer most; at the core I am a seeker. I have always been seeking something bigger, something more, something different, something beyond. But, I also really love to entertain — literally make people laugh. In fact, when I got sober 14 years ago, my biggest fear was that I wouldn't be funny anymore. Turns out, take away the booze, I'm still the funniest person I've ever met!

The exhibition tells the story of these archetypes through fashion. What’s one thing you feel fashion does well? How would you like to see fashion evolve in the future?

As a genderqueer person, I believe that fashion is a way to share parts of myself with the world that I just can't articulate, that language cannot encompass. I would like to see fashion evolve to a place where it would be acceptable for all bodies to adore all forms of clothing.

Thank you to Laurie for speaking with us. You can see Laurie perform at the opening party for A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes May 10.