Kohl Gallery Presents The Rose Garden Green Room, a Collaboration with Artist John Jarboe

Stage performance, public programming, and generative workshops round out semester-long partnership with the Philadelphia -based artist and performer.

Several Washington College Centers of Excellence and departments have embarked on a semester-long collaboration with John Jarboe, a performance and visual artist based in Philadelphia.   

As part of a course, students will reinterpret and recreate one of Jarboe’s exhibitions, a deeply personal and interactive experience called The Rose Garden Green Room. The exhibition will run from October 23 to December 4, 2025 in the College’s Kohl Gallery.   

The Green Room was one part of an exhibit created by Jarboe called The Rose Garden, which illuminated Jarboe's gender journey—the artist identifies as genderqueer, uses she/her pronouns, and alternates referring to herself as John or Rose. The names were picked by her mother for twins, but one embryo was reabsorbed during early stages of the pregnancy, a not uncommon occurrence that nonetheless captured Jarboe’s imagination. 

The exhibit was originally conceived and created by Jarboe in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, and then exhibited in D.C. by Cultural D.C. Both an art piece and a gathering space for all, the exhibit includes sculpture and audiovisual elements familiar in art galleries while also maintaining an aura of familiarity, evoking hints of nostalgia and warmth, nourishing those in it and challenging them to deepen their understanding of gender. Participants can explore queer identity in a library nook, stop by the letter writing station to pen a note to their gender, explore Jarboe’s videos throughout, have a snack, and even play dress up in the closet.   

The collaboration with Jarboe grew out of a conversation initiated by Kohl Gallery Director Rob Blackson shortly after his arrival to Washington in 2024. He learned of Jarboe's prior work with the College—including the 2013 performance "A Civil War Cabaret" commissioned by the Starr Center for the American Experience—and how several departments were eager to work with the artist again. 

"Connecting Washington students to the professional artist John Jarboe has proven to be an exemplary model of experiential learning," noted Blackson. "The class I have co-taught with Jarboe directly in Kohl Gallery has creatively and academically inspired the students to reach beyond the gallery and connect their interests to communities both in and outside the College."   

The exhibition will be complemented by a series of free public programs, including a performance by Jarboe’s cabaret group, The Bearded Ladies, a generative letter writing workshop, and a hands-on quilting workshop that explores personal expression.  

“Our students thrive on collaboration between academic disciplines and Jarboe's work at the College this fall connecting our students to the theater, psychology, and art and art history departments, as well as The Rose O'Neill Literary House and the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, is testament to the range of unique ways our academic environment encourages self-discovery and interdisciplinarity,” Provost Kiho Kim said.  

In addition to the many collaborators throughout the College, the exhibition and programs have also garnered external support from The Hedgelawn Foundation and the Kent Cultural Alliance.   

Students in the class taught by Jarboe and Blackson hope those who come to view the exhibit will feel the show’s welcoming nature.   

“The Rose Garden Green Room isn't just an interactive art exhibit; it is a raw, honest, and beautiful story of self-expression and discovery,” said student Avah Christianson. “The message John's exhibit has been designed to radiate is 'all are welcome.' This space is welcoming and comforting to all even those who don’t quite understand gender queerness or have never thought about it. It's a safe place in this world for a nice breath of fresh air.”   

Events and exhibits centered around Jarboe’s work that are open to the public this semester include:   

The Rose Garden Green Room Exhibition   

October 23 to December 4, 2025 | Kohl Gallery 

An Exhibition Opening will take place on Thursday, October 23 from 5 - 6:30 p.m. in Washington College’s Kohl Gallery, located in the Gibson Center for the Arts. Jarboe will be in attendance. The exhibition will run from October 23 – December 4, 2025. The gallery is fully accessible and open to the public Tuesday – Saturday from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, visit www.washcoll.edu/arts/kohl-gallery/index.php.

That’s Sew You!  

October 30, 4 p.m. | Larrabee Arts Center 

This hands-on workshop will be led by Emerald Andrews, an avid quilter and assistant professor of math at Washington College. Andrews will guide participants to understand how gender identity relates to personal expression while learning basic methods of transforming clothing using bleach, fabric paint, and patches. Crafting supplies will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring clothing from their wardrobe to transform. There will also be an opportunity to contribute photographs of their creations to a shared photo album in the exhibition. Space is limited, so sign-ups are required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thats-sew-you-workshop-tickets-1820294242079. The workshop will take place in the Larrabee Arts Center located at 100 Gibson Ave on Washington College's campus on Thursday, October 30, from 4 to 6 p.m.  

“Dear Gender” Generative Letter Writing Workshop  

November 6, 4 p.m. | Rose O’Neill Literary House 

Performance and visual artist John Jarboe will offer an interactive workshop on engaging creatively with your gender. The event takes place at the Rose O’Neill Literary House on Washington College’s campus on Thursday, November 6 from 4 to 5 p.m and is open to the public. Jarboe will share exercises used to create her exhibition The Rose Garden and performance Rose: You Are Who You Eat. Participants will explore how to use performance, fantasy, and creative practice to see themselves and others more clearly, and how to embrace the complexity of their “genderful” existence. More information on the event is available on Washington College’s event calendar.  

Rose: You Are Who You Eat 

Created by The Bearded Ladies Cabaret 

November 7 & 8, 7:30 p.m | Tawes Theatre 

In a special guest performance, Philadelphia’s acclaimed Bearded Ladies Cabaret brings Rose: You Are Who You Eat to Washington College. A genre-defying cabaret blending drag, live music, storytelling, and political satire, Rose follows the journey of a trans woman navigating identity, visibility, and resilience. Both hilarious and heartfelt, this performance confronts gender norms while celebrating radical joy. Tickets and info available on the Tawes Theatre ticketing site.  

Baking The Poison Cookie  

December 4, 11:30 a.m. | Kohl Gallery 

Serving in her role as Artistic Director of The Bearded Ladies, Jarboe will lead a workshop exploring queer performance from the rich history of the cabaret, exploring the birth of the form in 1880s Paris, through Dada, Weimar Germany, the clubs of Harlem, and more. Jarboe will lead students and the public through various ways in which the form of cabaret has transformed as it negotiates moments of socio-political crisis. Be prepared for singing, group listening, and dreaming forward creative tactics for the future. This event will take place in the Kohl Gallery on Washington College’s campus on Thursday, December 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.washcoll.edu/arts/kohl-gallery/index.php.

 

  - Dominique Ellis Falcon