Stand Out is an exhibition by local young artist Tara Mathews. Using bright colours and a distinctive style, Tara dedicates their exhibition to the queer women and gender-diverse individuals who feel like they don’t fit in. The artworks visually represent the alienating feeling of not quite fitting the mould, but also the solidarity in knowing that there is a whole community of people who are facing the same struggle. While it is challenging to feel different from those around you, these differences are what make you unique and allow you to stand out.

Showing at Airtime flags, an outdoor exhibition space at Altona Meadows Skate Park that showcases works by young artists from Melbourne’s west.

“Stand Out is a response to the queer experience of feeling different from everyone around you. In this exhibition, I aim to visually express the ways that I, and others like me, feel out of place, while also reaffirming that even though queer people can feel like they don’t belong, there is a whole community that experience the same feelings. It can sometimes be a struggle choosing either to blend in and act like something you aren’t, or to make the choice to be yourself and stand out. Even though being different can sometimes feel like a burden, it is those differences that make you who you are.” – Tara Mathews

Presented as part of Midsumma Westside