/kwir/-fôrēə/
queer + euphoria =[queerphoria]
queer - umbrella term that describes sexual and gender identities other than straight and cisgender
euphoria - a state of intense happiness and self-confidence
[queerphoria] is a contemporary jewelry and sculpture exhibition inviting 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals into a meaningful conversation about their identity. Through these written and visual exhibitions, we encourage dialogue around the difficult topics that surround the relationship between the queer and non-queer community.
In response to global systemic dehumanization, the climate crisis, and rapid structural erosion driven by institutional power and big money, [queerphoria] returns to NYC Jewelry Week 2026 to explore the theme of restoration. Not merely as a technical process, but as a radical act of honoring queer and trans bodies, love, and evolving self-creation.
[queerphoria] volume 6: restoration arrives at a critical historical time. In a landscape marked by violent legislation, AI’s severe environmental and ethical impact, and destructive modern systems; the act of making by hand is inherently political.
We invite makers to submit work that celebrates, mourns, deconstructs, and reimagines what restoration means within their creative practices, their movements through the world, and their personal adornment. By weaving healing together with resistance, this exhibition provides an essential narrative, reclaiming adornment as a tool to mend broken lineages, prevent erasure, and restore the fabric of our communities.
[queerphoria] volume 6 builds on the previous five volumes and explores what it means to grow, evolve, and thrive as a queer artist in today’s world. Volume 6 continues our history of creating dialogue by bringing together individual artists' works and stories. Our collective stories create an experience of belonging and community, reflecting the complex beauty of queer voices and practices.
[queerphoria] is not only an exhibition- it is an educational platform, a cultural archive, and a radical act of visibility. Our community is an international cohort of 2SLGBTQIA+ contemporary jewelry artists, metalsmiths, and sculptors, balancing emerging makers with established voices. This year, [queerphoria] vol 6: restoration is being curated by Queer Metalsmiths’ co-founder Tracey Carswell and guest jurors and [queerphoria] artists Omar Monroy and Brennan Lee.
[queerphoria] is to be seen. [queerphoria] is to be felt. [queerphoria] is to be heard.
Meet the Jurors
This year we are excited to welcome Omar Monroy (she/they) and Brennan Lee (he/him) as the guest jurors for [queerphoria] vol. 6: restoration. Get to know the artists below!
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[queerphoria] vol. 6 Juror
Omar Monroy (she/they) (@eltechichijewelry), a Trans-nonbinary Oaxacan artist of Ñuu'savi descent, expresses their heritage through El Techichi Jewelry. Born in Iztapalapa, Mexico, and now residing in Lenapehoking (Lower East Side), they blend traditional and contemporary materials, drawing inspiration from Mexico's ecosystems. El Techichi is a maximalist gender-neutral ode to creativity, rejecting colonial gender constructs, and pushes for plus size inclusivity in the fashion and jewelry industry.
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[queerphoria] vol. 6 Juror
Brennan Lee (he/him) (@brennanleemetals) is a jeweler and sculptor living in Berkeley, CA. His background is originally in classical singing, having received a B.A. in Music from Willamette University in 2013. There, his understanding of the self and its creative practice was profoundly shaped by working in a field where the body itself is the medium. This led to a passion for jewelry, where the body and the artwork leave indelible marks upon each other. Brennan’s preferred mediums are bronze and sterling silver, employing lost wax casting, 3D modeling, and fabrication as his primary tools. His work draws inspiration from Korean history and Victoriana to explore modern-day themes of cultural belonging. Recently, he has expanded into small sculpture and ritual objects, always informed by and dependent upon physical interaction with the body. Brennan has served as a wax worker, mold maker, and bronze caster at Artworks Foundry in Berkeley since 2023.
[queerphoria] vol.6: restoration
NYCJW26
[queerphoria] volume 6: restoration is a contemporary jewelry and sculpture exhibition inviting 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals to explore the theme of restoration. Not merely as a technical process, but as a radical act of honoring queer and trans bodies, love, and evolving self-creation.
This year, [queerphoria] vol 6: restoration is being curated by Queer Metalsmiths’ co-founder Tracey Carswell and guest jurors and [queerphoria] artists Omar Monroy and Brennan Lee.
The in person exhibition will take place from November 16th-22nd, 2026 at Pratt’s Steuben Gallery alongside a permanent, accessible digital gallery here on our website!
We are asking artists for a Sliding Scale Entry Fee to support Queer Metalsmiths with covering in-person exhibition costs.
We are asking artists for a Sliding Scale Entry Fee to support Queer Metalsmiths with covering in-person exhibition costs.
We are asking artists for a Sliding Scale Entry Fee to support Queer Metalsmiths with covering in-person exhibition costs.
We are asking artists for a Sliding Scale Entry Fee to support Queer Metalsmiths with covering in-person exhibition costs.
We are asking artists for a Sliding Scale Entry Fee to support Queer Metalsmiths with covering in-person exhibition costs.