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Perceive Me is a social practice art project that confronts questions of body image and self worth head-on through collaborative portraiture and vulnerable witnessing. Since 2018, artist Kristine Schomaker has posed nude for over 100 artists, resulting in a stunning collection of paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed media works—each artist interpreting her plus-size body through their own creative lens. This exhibition will primarily feature new collaborative works from the last couple of years, showing where the project is right now.

This isn't just about one artist's journey. Perceive Me speaks to universal struggles with body image, self-worth, and the beauty standards that marginalize anyone who doesn't fit narrow ideals. The project is a subversive act—standing up to a culture that values appearance over intellect, that hides and condemns bodies deemed unacceptable, that uses shame as a tool of control.

Room 203 will have the Perceive Me exhibition from Schomaker's collaborative project and Room 204 will be Live Nude Portrait Sessions. This private room becomes an active studio space where fair attendees can schedule 20-minute sessions to pose nude and have their portrait created by professional artists. This extends the collaborative spirit of Perceive Me by inviting participants to experience being seen and interpreted through another's artistic vision.

This dual-room experience creates dialogue between completed collaborative works and active art-making, demonstrating how perception shifts through creative engagement. Visitors can observe finished interpretations while potentially participating in ongoing collaborative process, challenging their own biases about bodies, beauty, and artistic representation.