CLOAK brings together LGBTQI+ folk working in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine with emerging fashion designers to reinvent the lab coat as a symbol of queer pride.
In a field in which recent research reveals many professionals remain closeted, we asked a dozen LGBTQI+ scientists to share their stories with UTS fashion designers. The designers then transformed discarded lab coats into new garments capturing the scientists’ queer histories.
This cross-disciplinary project spotlights diversity in science through fashion, photography and video performance. A new video work directed by award-winning artist Cherine Fahd captures the results of this sustainable co-design experiment against the backdrops of the UTS Fashion Lab and the University of Sydney’s School of Chemistry.
The CLOAK film can be seen on the Broadway Screen at UTS, and photographic portraits of the scientists and designers will be shown in the UTS foyer Building 1.
Join us for the formal launch of CLOAK with Alice Motion [Eureka Science Communicator of the Year] and other queer scientists and fashionistas.
About the contributors
CLOAK research team
Alice Motion, Cherine Fahd, Lee Wallace, Todd Robinson, Victoria Rawlings
Scientists
Alice Motion, Alison Todd, Dominic Hearne, Faelan Mourmourakis, Hervé Sauquet, Kerry Chin, Luca Testa, Michelle Power, Naomi Koh Belic, Solenne Gibson, Srea Islam, Victoria Fu
UTS designers
Blake Lawrence, Daniel Hadad, Giovanna De Pontes, Lucy Brack, Lucy Burrell, Luke Friend, Samuel Hodge & Francis Everston, Thi Minh Nguyen, Victoria Psarros, Yuanjia Cai
Research assistant
Kelly Panchyshyn
Video production
Motel Picture Company
Photography
Pamela Pirovic
CLOAK: Queer Science, Fashion & Photography is presented in partnership with Sydney Social Sciences and Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC), and the School of Chemistry, University of Sydney and the Intersectional Design Research Cluster and UTS Fashion & Textiles, School of Design, UTS. CLOAK: Queer Science, Fashion & Photography is presented as part of Sydney WorldPride Pride Amplified.