Gabe Woods is the subject of artwork in The Making of Mardi Gras, a current exhibition at Qtopia Sydney that opened in February 2026 and tells the story of the creativity, labour and community spirit behind the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Curated by Holly Riding and Jeremy Smith, the exhibition gathers original parade posters, archival footage from the afterparties and a selection of notable parade costumes. The story runs from the first protest march in 1978 to the Mardi Gras Workshop, established in 1982, which gave artists, volunteers and community groups a place to design and build floats and costumes. The show names the artists who shaped the look and politics of Mardi Gras, from Peter Tully to David McDiarmid and Ignatius Jones.
The exhibition previews a larger project planned for the 50th anniversary of Mardi Gras in 2028.
Gabe Woods is a Sydney performer, gogo dancer, model and host. He has performed in six Mardi Gras parades, and work featuring him also appears in The Underground at the same venue.
qtopiasydney.com.au/our-work/exhibitions/the-making-of-mardi-gras View