Bridgeport Art Trail hosted by City Lights Gallery: OutWork 2026
June 20 – July 25th, 2026
265 Golden Hill Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604
About OutWork 2026
City Lights Gallery presents OUTwork, the 16th annual LGBTQ+ art exhibit, opening on June 20th in conjunction with the Greater Bridgeport Pride celebration.
OUTwork explores issues of gender, LGBTQ+ life, love and relationships, family, social justice, bias, personal stories and perspectives, pride, current issues of 2026, etc. The intention is to support the greatest possible inclusion and to create a platform for people of diverse backgrounds to meet, exchange ideas, and express their support and respect.
This annual event grew from the inspiration and vision of local artist Ricky Mestre, 14 years of support from City Lights Gallery, the city of Bridgeport and the surge of energy and commitment of the Bridgeport Pride Center, who in recent years became the lead organization of Bridgeport Pride.
Why were these pieces chosen?
For this show, I chose to submit my fluid identity series, a documentary photography project capturing the fluidity of life and identity. The 3 pieces selected were Leaves in the Frost, Water’s Echo & Frozen Edge.
A stunning study of light and texture, this photograph features a golden, translucent leaf resting atop a bed of textured ice. The soft, low-angled sunlight illuminates the intricate veins of the leaf and the delicate bubbles trapped within the frozen surface. This piece captures the quiet, fleeting transition between autumn and winter, making it a serene addition to any nature-inspired collection.
Medium: Photography, 2026
Limited Edition Print: 500, 16×24
Exhibited at Bridgeport Art Trail hosted by City Lights Gallery, Bridgeport CT, June - July 2026 for OutWork 2026
This photograph features a golden, translucent leaf resting in a bed of textured ice. The soft, low-angled sunlight illuminates the intricate veins of the leaf and the delicate bubbles trapped within the frozen surface. This piece captures the quiet, fleeting transition between autumn and winter. I think this captures a more peaceful and supported transition of identity.
A dynamic close-up of a rain-drenched pond surface, featuring a perfect, expanding concentric ripple pattern left by a fallen droplet. The texture is complex, composed of a submerged bed of fine pebbles and scattered pine needles visible through the clear water, punctuated by two dark, weathered stones. This piece captures the fleeting moment of impact and the subsequent geometry of motion.
1,000 Limited Edition Prints, 11×14, 2026
Bridgeport Art Trail hosted by City Lights Gallery, Bridgeport CT, June - July 2026 for OutWork 2026
A dynamic close-up of a rain-drenched pond surface, featuring a perfect, expanding concentric ripple pattern left by a fallen droplet. The texture is complex, composed of a submerged bed of fine pebbles and scattered pine needles visible through the clear water, punctuated by two dark, weathered stones. This piece captures the fleeting moment of impact and the subsequent geometry of motion, like how a single act or moment can cause the realization of a new queer identity.
This evocative composition showcases the intersection of the seasons as vibrant brown oak leaves rest on a sheet of blue-tinted ice. A small opening in the ice reveals the dark, rippling water beneath, framed by the sharp, jagged edges of the leaves.
Medium: Photography, 2026
Limited Edition Print: 1000, 11×17
Bridgeport Art Trail hosted by City Lights Gallery, Bridgeport CT, June - July 2026 for OutWork 2026
This composition showcases the intersection of the seasons as vibrant brown oak leaves rest on a sheet of blue-tinted ice. A small opening in the ice reveals the dark, rippling water beneath, framed by the sharp, jagged edges of the leaves. I view this piece as a chaotic and unsupported moment of the transition of identity. The flowing water below is right there to sweep the leaves away as soon as the support around it melts.
