Wilderqueer, a play on the word wilderness, offers a glimpse into a world where nature reclaims sacred, safe and creative spaces. Created by artist Rory Draper, the work imagines a place where nature becomes a protective, nurturing presence.

The starting point for the work was Camp, a much-loved space within Margate’s queer community. When Draper learned of its impending closure, he felt an urge to protect it, imagining it enveloped in a kind of protective bubble. Through painting, he creates an alternative world in which this desire for protection takes shape.

As a queer person, Draper has often found nature to be a constant and reliable source of comfort, particularly when other spaces or relationships have fallen short. This connection has increasingly found its way into his practice. In Wilderqueer, nature takes centre stage, becoming a force of care, shelter and belonging. It is no longer simply a backdrop but an active nurturer, reclaiming and transforming the spaces within the work.

The animals that inhabit this imagined world are species found locally in Kent, but also creatures often regarded as outsiders or undesirable. Their presence reflects the work’s wider exploration of belonging, difference and the possibility of finding sanctuary in unexpected places.

Wilderqueer will be presented in the front window of Salon.