Untraditionally American: Kat Davis and Brianna Noble

When conjuring up a mental image of a traditional American home, some might envision a 1950s suburban house with a white picket fence, perhaps with a dog and some children playing in the front yard. Versions of this stereotype have been playing out on television shows for nearly 70 years – from Leave it to Beaver to The Brady Bunch, and Family Matters to Modern Family- but does it still resonate today? Fewer families are able to purchase homes due to rising costs and stagnant wages, and many queer and non-binary people are redefining what family means to them by forming familial bonds outside of their blood relations. For many, the stereotypical American Dream depicted in media and pop culture is a narrative that no longer fits, and they are finding freedom by writing their own story.

Artists Kat Davis and Brianna Noble were raised in what they perceived to be traditional American homes, but as adults, their lives are anything but traditional. For this exhibition, both of the artists dive into their respective domestic spaces to redefine what living the American Dream looks like from the inside out.

Exhibit Photos