jason tranchida & matthew lawrence
2020 Artist award recipients
Providence, RI
nptpublicart.org
artists’ bios
Jason Tranchida & Matthew Lawrence are a collaborative team in Providence who have worked on multiple art and curatorial projects including HEADMASTER, a project-based print magazine featuring original art and writing commissions. Headmaster frequently spotlights forgotten moments in gay/queer history, from an illustrated biography of singer Antonio Variações (the first confirmed AIDS victim in Portugal) to a sculptural biography of Alan Turing (published 18 months prior to the hit film “The Imitation Game” that made Turing a household name).
Jason and Matthew have also produced a number of curated events including After School Special, a night of performance and interactive sculptural work at the RISD Museum. For the inaugural PVDFest, they received a public art grant from The Avenue Concept to produce AV Club, a looped video program screened inside a downtown gay bar.
about the project
Scandalous Conduct/Newport 1919, a site-specific installation and series of public programs related to the Newport Sex Scandal, a largely forgotten, but hugely important moment in the history of LGBTQ+ rights. The series was created by Matthew Lawrence and Jason Tranchida, and originally planned for summer 2020; programs will now take place throughout 2020 and 2021.
