On June 15, 2024, the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library hosted The Clark is Burning, an immersive celebration of ballroom culture, queer history, and the art of vogue. Led by ballroom historian, voguer, and producer Sydney Baloue, and featuring members of the newly formed Kiki House of FUBU, the event invited audiences to explore how beauty, history, and artistry connect the Clark’s archives with the vibrant creativity of contemporary ballroom.
The program highlighted the Clark Library itself as a deeply queer space—its architecture, collections, and legacy intertwined with stories of LGBTQ+ community and cultural expression. Attendees learned about the building’s homoerotic ceiling murals by Allyn Cox, the intimate history of Harrison Post and W.A. Clark Jr., and the long-standing resonance between the library’s collections and queer lineage.
Following the introduction, guests moved into a lively “salon” inspired by eighteenth-century traditions, complete with book displays, figure drawings, and staged dramatic readings from Restoration and eighteenth-century plays that playfully challenge gender norms. The Clark is Burning marked a bold expansion of the Library’s public programming, honoring queer kinship and envisioning new futures through art, performance, and community.
-Erin Severson