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Shiri's personal assistant, a woman with a soft voice that sounded perhaps cloying and sing-song, had scheduled the appointment for Nevermore and Ellie, insisting that she wasn't available until late evening. The gallery is open tonight, but there's no events, and it's not particularly busy. The queer Jewish photography exhibit is still on display near the front of the gallery, and of course there's that mural that stands out among the rest of the work, a bold, almost brash piece done in vivid colors.
The mural depicts a vast sprawling labyrinth that takes up nearly the whole wall, drawn in a dramatic curve as if seen through a fish-eye lens, creating an interesting and dynamic composition. The twisting maze creates a surreal, dream-like feel to the overall mural, and it practically explodes with bold but carefully balanced color. Most of the maze is done with sharp spray-painted lines, in a graphic style that is more often used in street art tags.
A figure is seen wandering the maze in numerous places, creating mini scenes with hidden details one can find if they look closer. The figures are all the same--an androgynous black youth wearing streetwear. These smaller details are made with a combination of intricate stenciling and hand painting.
They depict a wide variety of scenes. Some of them are happy scenes, some are distinctly not. One shows the youth hanging up a page of childish scribbles with letter magnets on the maze wall, like one would on a fridge. Another shows them running, the hall they're sprinting down lit with red-blue siren lights. Another shows the kid crouched to pick up pennies on the ground, carefully counting them. Another shows them climbing up a vertical wall, struggling to reach out to a stack of books sitting on top. Another shows the kid holding a gun, standing in a pool of blood. Another shows them hiding inside a dark nook, curled up, while an ominous shadow is casted against the opposite wall. Another shows them standing in front of a mirror, holding up a dress that is too big for them against their body. Another shows them dancing and singing joyously with headphones on, oblivious to anyone watching. And so on--each a separate snapshot of the kid's life.
Above the maze is a sky of rainbow streaking colors, like rainbows shining through a prism. But there are cracks that run through them like broken glass, sprawling outwards from a jagged hole in the sky. Past the hole is a large eye (the iris painted green), as if a massive person is peering through, down at the maze.
In the center of the maze, the youth stands, with their head tilted upwards to stare back.
The gallery has very few people in it tonight, at least visible from the front. There's a couple who seems to be on a date, and a sharp-dressed man with grey hair and noticeable eyeliner.
Nevy makes sure to arrive about fifteen minutes early, so they can have some time to actually enjoy at least a couple of the gallery's exhibits. They pause at the mural and a little smile plays at their lips.
"That's an impressive piece," Says Ellie as she arrives and comes up beside Nevy and looks up at the massive mural in the entrance of the gallery. "Street art is a medium I've never had a good chance to try my hand at, but the style is remarkable." She's wearing a sleeveless blouse almost but not quite pale enough to count as pink and a black skirt, as well as a pair of comfortable flats. It's not an outfit designed to stand out, but it does flatter her. "Definitely some fascinating imagery," she adds.
Nevy nods. They look over the mural again, and the amusement fades - their eyebrows lower a touch, and they bite their lip. "Yeah..." They say. They look over at Layla. "I think I know the artist." Nevy's dressed in their I'm A Responsible Adult Who You Should Take Seriously outfit - a pantsuit and charcoal button-up shirt. Their coat is folded over one arm - they couldn't just leave it at home.
The couple clearly on a date seem to be playing a game with the modern art, where they try to figure out what cocktail the blotches of paint on the canvas represent. The taller of the two women is struggling to stifle disruptive laughter at her partner's insistence that is was clearly the artist's intent to depict a mule in a certain piece.
The man in the eyeliner is walking with hands clasped behind his back, and he gives the impression of studying the patrons of the gallery, as much as any of the art.
"Do you?" Ellie asks. "That's interesting. Who is it? Anybody that I might have heard of?" She does seem genuinely curious, and surprisingly undistracted given that her gaze is following the man who is occasionally looking at them for a few seconds before she turns back. "Do you think Shiri's ready to see us?"
Nevy nods. "Lux - they're a street artist. They're the one who founded that Love Letter artist's commune. It's a really awesome place." They notice the man and offer him a friendly wave.
The man inclines his head at Nevermore slightly, acknowledging the wave without doing anything so silly in return, though there's a hint of curl to his lips.
It is at this point that Shiri Touati rolls across the floor in their electric wheelchair toward Ellie and Nevermore. They're dressed in jeans and a sleeveless purple blouse with an embellished neckline, and their hair is worn back in a French braid. They seem to notice the man with the eyeliner, a brow perking slightly, and then ignores him, approaching the PCs instead.
"Lux? Like deluxe?" Ellie asks. Then she catches the brief interplay and spends a couple of seconds looking at the man again, at the same time as she reaches out to nudge Nevy. "There's Shiri," she says in case Nevy didn't notice yet. Her tone is lightly teasing as she goes on with, "quick, look competent! Do I look like I'm managing it?"
Nevy responds with a professional smile and a muttered "Oh, about as much as usual." Then they extend a hand to Shiri. "Mx. Touati, thank you for agreeing to meet with us."
Shiri accepts the offered hand, smiling warmly at Nevermore, and then at Ellie. "It's my pleasure. Please, if you'll follow me back to my office?"
Ellie smiles back, seemingly just as warm and not at all calculating, but doesn't offer her hand. "Thank you for seeing us Mx. Touati. Or Shiri? Which would you prefer?" She's offered her name as Ellie Eaves when they were setting this up, because sometimes going by only a mononym draws more attention than providing actual information does. "And yes, of course, lead the way."
"By all means," Nevy says. They glance back at the guy, then follow Shiri as they head back. "I really like your collection. That mural is a Lux, right?"
They pause a moment, maneuvering their chair around the corner before answering. "Yes, it is. I'm on the board of directors for their street art collective. I find their work refreshing. Unapologetic. I like how honest it feels, when I look at their work, regardless of context."
The guy with the eyeliner nods once more at Nevermore, and then walks toward the main exit of the gallery.
"It's a great mural. Thought provoking. I love that kind of thing," Ellie says as she walks along. "When we're done meeting I'd also love to stay to take a better look at the photography exhibit. I am part of the queer community, and even if I'm Muslim, not Jewish, I think it's good to make efforts to understand each other better."
Nevy nods. "I'm... not going to lie, I got here early so I could take a peek."
"You both are very much welcome to stay after the meeting." As they reach the office, the pair might notice there's a lot of empty space in the room--which makes sense, considering the logistics of getting an electric wheelchair behind a desk--better to leave the space when designing the office, and save some finagling. "Would either of you care for a drink? I can have my assistant grab something for you."
Ellie takes in the sight of the office before she answers, "no, thank you." Then she corrects that to, "actually, some water would be great, now that I think about it. Thank you again for offering to see us. I've come to an exhibit or two at the gallery here before. It's really nice." She flashes a smile and adds, "the kind of thing I'd love to achieve some day, as a long term goal."
Nevy shrugs one shoulder. "A glass of water would be lovely, thank you." They smile. "And I agree. I love how passionate you've been about showcasing LGBTQ artists."
Shiri uses their phone's intercom to buzz their assistant and request those waters, before looking up at Ellie and Nevermore. "Of course. I consider myself lucky to have the opportunity to showcase the work of artists who might otherwise be overlooked or ignored. The fact that I can ensure their work is given attention is important to me. I didn't have support as a young queer person growing up--so I want to make sure others do."
"Ah... I understand that," Ellie says, then she adds with a laugh, "not that I'm not still a young queer person, but I didn't grow up in a particularly accepting environment." She looks over at Nevy and asks, "did I ever tell you I'm from Qatar?" She turns back to Shiri. "I didn't move here until I was an adult and able to make that kind of decision for myself. Leaving everything behind so you can try to be true to yourself isn't an easy path. I wish I could help more people with their versions of that journey."
Nevy blinks. "No, you didn't. Wow, that must have been..." They hesitate, gauging what would be appropriate in the context. "Pretty rough."
Shiri nods their understanding. "For me, it was a Jewish community in Morocco. While I certainly wouldn't dare say I know what you've been through, I think there's a certain degree of resonance between our experiences."
"I was in a heavily American expatriate community, so things could have been more difficult, but..." Ellie shrugs. "It's still a complex situation. I imagine that you can understand a lot of it if you're from Morocco." She smiles at Shiri. "It's nice to meet someone who might understand to some degree. But that's not what we're here to talk about, is it? Sorry." She looks at Nevy, including them in the apology.
Nevy smiles. "Finding kindred spirits through art? I mean... I feel like that's exactly why we're here. But... yeah, maaaaaybe more the art thing."
"The context behind art is important. Knowing the place that the passion comes from, what drives an artist to create. Otherwise, you may as well spend your time doing tame little works to hang on the walls of hotel meeting rooms and law offices. I find myself hoping neither of you is quite so commercial." Their smile is indulgent. It's at this point their secretary (who has a very aquiline nose and a bit of a buck-toothed smile) delivers waters for Nevermore and Ellie. Shiri looks up at her. "Is Linden still here?"
"No, he left." It's the same voice Nevermore remembers from the phonecall where they set up the meeting.
"Good. Thank you, that will be all." Exit assistant.
"Thank you," Ellie says to the secretary.
Then, "I..." she begins before she lets out a laugh. "To be entirely honest with you? I've done some commercial art in the last year or so, but I do have to pay the bills, and commercial art pays. It's also mindlessly boring, but at least it was also for a couple of websites and not for hotel meeting rooms or law offices?" She offers a self-deprecating smile. "I have some grand ideas at the moment, but unfortunately only things that are beyond the scale of what I can do in my apartment."
She pauses a moment, glances toward the door, and asks, "is something wrong? Was that guy downstairs not supposed to be here, or something?"
Nevy tilts their head, filing a question to ask later. "I... do most of my art business on the internet. Which means that commissions are a pretty common thing. But most of what I sell is artwork I've created for myself, because the idea spoke to me." They give a lopsided smile. "Besides. You haven't met an art lover as enthusiastic as a DnD player appreciating their new character portrait."
"He works for one of my rivals." Their lips quirk in a wry little smile. "Who owns a law office. I don't begrudge either of you making money from your art, but it's my hope that it's at least for people who appreciate what you create, instead of commissioning art for the sake of having something no one else does."
Then their attention shifts toward Ellie. "What would you need, to bring your ideas into reality?"
"That explains why you want to be sure we don't do art for law offices," Ellie quips, to show that she's not too nervous for some humor. "I promise you, as far as I know I haven't been doing art for your nemesis. My favorite way of doing art is for the people who truly appreciate it, though." She glances at Nevy and explains to Shiri. "We met at conventions, actually. Artists alley. Hearing someone gush enthusiastically about something they're passionate about and then doing sketches for them gives me joy."
She opens her bag and takes out a sketch pad. "I actually did some sketches to show you the kind of thing I've been working on. It's kind of an installation thing, and could be readily adapted to whatever space was available, probably without interfering with things too much. I happen to have a talent for making use of space."
She opens the sketch pad and puts it on the desk, showing a colored pencil rendition of an open second floor area looking down to a first, where from below are radiating lines of color in a rainbow pattern. "The idea is to do this with colored strands, and make it feel like people are walking around, or through, or past a physical rainbow."
Nevy grins, seeing the familiar concept. They look a bit closer, themselves, to see how Ellie's developed the design since they last saw it.
Shiri leans in to look at the design thoughtfully. "That piece would definitely fit in with my gallery's work. Do you think, if given the funding and the space, you could complete the piece before Pride month ended? It would be a good way to end the month with a bang."
Ellie seems a little surprised here, but only thinks about it for a moment before she says, "if funding and space weren't an issue? Yes, absolutely. It's going to be some late nights and a lot of coffee, but if I have reliable access to the area where I'm working? It should be doable. Measuring and dying are the most time consuming components, really. It's meticulous planning more than anything."
Nevy smiles at Ellie, excited for their friend, but doesn't interrupt quite yet. For now, Ellie's the star of the show. Nevy's time shall come. (Oh yes. It will come. Mwahahaha)
They nod, their gaze flickering to Nevermore thoughtfully before returning to Ellie. "We can ensure you have access. Are you interested in making this happen here?"
"I'm interested, but we'll have to talk about the details of what that means," Ellie answers with an enthused nod. "I do have to be able to afford to eat and everything, as mentioned earlier." She looks over at Nevy with a sheepish smile. "You set up this meeting and then I started hogging the spotlight. I'm sorry, Nevy. Call me your opening act, and you're the headliner?"
Nevy chuckles. "We're both headliners, El. You've just got the first solo." They look to Shiri. "I don't have an installation like that one planned, exactly, but I've got some projects I'd love an opportunity to present to the world."
"Please, tell me about them." They lean forward slightly over their desk, making eye contact with Nevermore.
This is Ellie's turn to sit back and listen with an encouraging smile.
"Well... first, I'd love to explore some of Philadelphia's history and folklore in art. Ghost stories, urban legends... I admit, I have a bit of a taste for the macabre, and part of the reason I moved here was because it will be fascinating to see the local flavor of strange." They pull out a couple pictures of work from their time in Chicago - a white mansion wrapped in barbed wire, with the subtitle H.H. Holmes, and a pale woman in a white dress and blonde hair, her dark shadow forming the lanes of a highway, labeled Resurrection Mary
The woman's form and features are hazy and indistinct, while the dress and the highway are both clear. Meanwhile, the mansion almost seems to be screaming - or, perhaps, lunging to take a bite of the viewer
Shiri listens with sharp interest, tapping a thoughtful finger against their lips as their attention moves from the pictures to the artist. "If I can get you access to the Eastern State Penitentiary on a moonless night, would you create a work for me, based on what you experience there? It's said to be one of the most haunted locations in the entire state."
Ellie blinks a couple of times and asks, "can I come?"
Nevy grins. "I Absolutely would do that! I've been eyeing that place since before I came here, trying to figure out how to get in."
They smile to Ellie and nod. "Of course. Dangerous haunted prisons are more fun with a friend."
"That would be up to Mx. Usher, I think. Given their level of interest in ghosts." And their gaze catches on the necklace Nevermore is wearing, before they nod. "Excellent. You'll have to produce the art inspired by your trip at a size to display here in the gallery, though."
"Awesome!" Ellie says with a sudden smile. "I've never seen an actual ghost." Which is true, as it so happens!
Nevermore notice Shiri's glance to the necklace and respond with a smile and raised eyebrow. After a moment, they nod, utterly failing to conceal their excitement. "I'll take a look at some of the other works you have here, and size mine similarly." To Ellie, they say "Well, if we're unlucky you won't see any there, either... in which case, I'll have to be extra-creative when I make the art."
"Ms. Eaves, you can arrange logistics for your installation with my assistant, Sophia." She nods. "And I'll be in contact about the Penitentiary, Mx. Usher."
"Thank you," Ellie says with a smile. "I imagine I'll see a bit more of you if I'm here all the time for the next week and a half, although I suspect we'll both be too busy to chat much." She clenches her fists in front of her and almost vibrates. "I'm so excited. I'll see if Sophia can show me the spot I'll have to work with and start planning from there." She grins at Nevy. "Let me know what night we end up going to the slammer."
Nevy nods, likewise smiling. "I will. Mx. Touati, thank you. I'm... really looking forward to working with you on this. This will be incredible!" They look to Ellie. "Let me know if you need an extra pair of hands for the grunt work of assembly."
Shiri nods. "I hope you both have a nice rest of your night. I look forward to seeing your creations in the future."
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