By Emma Standen

Photo Credit: Embellysh Photography

Griffith University student Chloe Forbes debut solo exhibition, Jazz Gender and the Queer Experience has been added to the 2025 Brisbane International Jazz Festival program.

From September 25, the Grey Street Art Gallery at Griffith University’s Southbank campus will invite people to learn about the history of female and queer jazz musicians.

The exhibition is the visual culmination of Ms Forbes’ honours research exploring how jazz educators create spaces for female and LGBTQIA+ musicians in Australia.

“I’m doing my honours degree at the Queensland Conservatorium and I’m doing a shorten dissertation with creative work on how educational jazz frameworks can contribute to the pursuit of equity in jazz for female-identifying, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ jazz musicians,” she explained.

Ms Forbes’ perspective as a woman and openly queer jazz musician plays centre stage in this exhibition, highlighting her inspirations and the wackiness of the human mind.

From giant brains to sentimental pieces, there is something for everyone to take away from the exhibition.

Ms Forbes’ feature piece, The Coat of Jazz Women, pays tribute to the women and LGBTQIA+ artists who made significant contributions to the jazz genre during their lives.

Ms Forbes was inspired to create the full length knitted piece after branching out from her required class content to learn more about the musicians who were not being included in her university coursework.

“My jazz theory classes at the Con would only include one or two female jazz musicians and the rest would be men,” they said.

Be sure to be there on September 25th at 5 pm for Opening Night to celebrate and support Ms Forbes’ work.

Jazz Gender and the Queer Experience will be on display at the South Bank campus’ Grey Street gallery from September 25 to October 9.

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