A Great Unrecorded History
“When i am with him, smoking or talking quietly ahead, or whatever it may be, I see, beyond my own happiness and intimacy, occasional glimpses of the happiness of 1000s of others whose name I shall never hear, and know that there is a great unrecorded history.”
- E. M. Forster. Selected Letters of E. M. Forster Volume 1: 1879-1920, page 269
Through a series of mixed media portraits of queer historical figures I explored utilizing unconventional materials to symbolically connect the art-making process to the subject of the work. Details of the lives of queer icons, such as Oscar Wilde’s kiss tomb and Marsha P. Johnson’s struggle with poverty, deeply informs my artistic practice as I incorporate details of their lives into my creative process. My mixed-media pieces begin with extensive research on the subject. Documentaries, biographies, interviews, and work created by the subject are the driving forces of my work. Many of these pieces are unusual sizes to reference important dates or information relevant to the subject. For example Sappho’s portrait is 14.7 x 14.7 inches to reference Fragment 147, in which she yearns to be remembered.
In order to share and educate more people about our history, I adapted this series into a 28 page zine that includes notes about my process, design decisions, and a brief biography of each historical figure. As a young queer person who didn't have queer elders in my life, I look towards our history for reassurance and community. The lives and tribulations of historical figures assure me that i am not alone my experiences. i aim to inform viewers of the deeply rich and often forgotten history of the queer community. we have existed in every pocket of history from ancient Greece to the Space race and beyond. Though the vocabulary we use to define gender and sexuality continues to evolve, looking back at our history contextualizes the progress we have made and the progress that still must be done. These stories have provided me with great reassurance and a sense of community, which I share through my art in order to provide the same sense of connection to other queer individuals. Now more than ever it is important not only to remember and share our history but to celebrate it. as anti-queer and anti-trans legislation has drastically increased since the creation of this series, looking back at our victories and seeing how hard we have worked for what we have inspires me to continue the fight. Do not let the struggles of queer people past or present disillusion you. let this be your call to action. record our history.
