Hi! My name is Josh Porter and I am an independent curator, photographer, writer, and designer currently based out of Lexington, KY. In my professional and academic projects, I investigate the intersections of art, politics, and identity. As a curator, my goal is to always amplify and showcase the important work of contemporary artists, particularly queer artists and artists of color. I focus on work that challenges traditional expectations of art and forces the viewer to question their understanding of what art is and who it is for. Art and art organizations should push past the boundaries of the white gallery walls and more intimately engage with the surrounding community. I love bringing the community into art spaces that they, otherwise, might not enter on their own. To me, art is always political.In addition to my curatorial practice, I am also the Assistant Executive Director of the Faulkner Morgan Archive (a queer-focused, Kentucky-based archive).Through my work with FMA, I have seen the impact that collecting, archiving, and exhibiting queer stories can have. My desire to work with queer artists and queer narratives drives my professional and academic work. Being part of the LGTBQ+ community serves as an important part of my own identity, and I continue to celebrate the queer community through my work in any way that I can.I graduated in 2023 with an MFA in Curatorial Studies at the University of Kentucky and in 2019 with a B.A. in both Studio Art and Art History from Transylvania University. I have curated exhibitions both physically and digitally, and always try to incorporate my photography and graphic design expertise into the shows through promotional material, documentation, and wall vinyl. If you are a gallery, museum, artist, or curator, please reach out! I always love connecting with fellow creatives and pursuing potential projects.