homoquilt, vicariousness and affirmation

This is old news, but in 2008 some friends and I were doing a queer craft group in Brisbane. We did a bunch of patchwork bees and I quilted it all together for The Sportman's Hotel annual LGBT bake and craft auction. If I remember correctly it raised somewhere between $600-$700 for PFLAG and the Australian Transgender Support Association of QLD.

I bring it up now because I made this patch:

I was going to make a whole series of these penises ejaculating different affirmations and pet names. I'd still like to. But this is where the idea came from for the mustard font on the hotdogs.

I've been thinking a lot about vicariousness in trans experience, how it's something that I don't want to do, it doesn't make me feel great and is bundled up with essentialism and doesn't affirm my experience with my body/gender. I'm making some changes to the kinds of relationships and sexuality I have to not play into vicariousness (if you don't know what I mean, I'm talking about fetishising and experiencing the kinds of bodies I want via other people).

I'm realising that it exists in the art that I make and it's something I want to be aware of and confront. I kinda want to embrace it and hyper do it but in a way that critiques it at the same time. How to achieve that is something to think about.

If anyone wants to talk to me about vicariousness, I would love that!

Here's some of the other patches from the quilt:

by Jackson

by Marde

by me.

really, this was mostly about camp.

Collage and acrylic paint. 2.2 x 3m. Commissioned by Brisbane Festival forDrawn Togetherexhibition at West End Live

I was approached by Brisbane Festival to create Changing Landscapes for their Drawn Together project to be exhibited at West End… LIVE. In this project, 4 artists were given a digital story of a long term West End resident to respond to. In these interviews, the residents shared anecdotal stories of the changing cultural, economic and physical landscape of West End and the impact this had on their lives.

The project aimed to demonstrate that like physical elements such as architecture and geology, stories and culture inform a sense of place. The project aimed to highlight that West End’s cultural landscape is undergoing radical changes as a result of physical redevelopment. The stories of indigenous elder Aunty Mulinjarli, queer cultural instigator Shane Garvey and redevelopment resister Janet Richards were included.

The artists were given one hour to work with a 2.2m x 3m canvas in public view during the festival, during which the public were given access to headphones so they could listen to the digital story while watching the artist’s response unfold.

I was briefed on the story of Janet Richards to respond to, who is most well known for resisting the acquisition of her family home for the redevelopment of the West End Coles complex and neighbouring apartment block. Originally I wanted to explore the role that local and state government cultural renewal initiatives play in suburban gentrification, such as the redevelopment of the Cultural Centre and Brisbane City Council’s current funding programs for ‘happenings’.

I researched artist responses to arts gentrification, such as There Goes The Neighbourhood and The London Particular. I started planning a visual case study of international examples of cultural renewal initiatives that had neglected issues of social exclusion and the responses of local artists in addressing these problems.

However when I received the digital story, Janet Richards talked very little about her legal battle with the development company over acquiring her home. Instead, she talked about changes in the architectural landscape from the mid 1800s until now over the stretch of land between West End’s Absoe building and King George Square.

I discarded this preparation and switched to collage plans of a camp take on the recent refurbishment of the Stefan Skyneedle, kitsch Tourism Queensland imagery, while using an image of Sophie Lee’s character, Tracy, from The Castle to reference Janet Richard’s legal battle.

HARNESSED

With a little funding help, I'm starting the HARNESSED project. I will be running workshops from August, talking about sexuality, fantasy, safer spaces... and making chest harnesses! out of whatever materials you dream up that reflect your sexuality! Down with leather protocols! (unless, of course that is your thang).

I can supply materials. All I ask of you is that you donate your harness for the duration of the project so they can all be exhibited at the QArts Exhibition later this year. Then it is all yours for happy flagging.

I got excited and made mine already. Considering my infatuation with all things CAMP, I went down the sequined track:

Workshop details soon to be announced. If you are private about these things, I can arrange 1-on-1 workshops. Contributions can be anonymous. Contact me if you are interested: warren dot gracie at hotmail dot com

HO: TRANS SEXWORKER PHOTOGRAPHIC PROJECT

CALL OUT FOR SUBMISSIONS

This photographic project will document transgender sexworkers who work presenting as the gender they were assigned at birth and no longer identify as. I will be applying to exhibit the series at different events in Australia, mostly at queer and sexworker arts events and also online. 

Since the photos will be released publicly, contributors will have to be comfortable with disclosure to some extent. However, I will not use your legal name and I’m open to negotiating measures to protect your identity if you would like to contribute but have privacy concerns.

To participate, you will have to consider the implications of the associations of your image and the content.

I am a transgender hustler who works as a lady babe. Primarily, this pays the bills. It also has been both affirming and dysphoria exacerbating, a result of limited financially viable representation options, the safest option, performative and an opportunity to max out lessons in the behavioral codes of feminine wiles. It’s creating a stronger affiliation with femmes and my class background. I feel moments of concern for my safety if a client recognises my face on the street and feels betrayed, and moments of satisfying queer subversion when being told, “You’re the hottest chick I’ve ever seen”, accompanied with a wad of cash.

I’m interested in documenting the process of embodying the rentboy/stripper minx/mistress/etc within, the transformation, the relationship that incurs with our bodies, the culture of trans people sexworking to pay for their medical transition, the connections between transgender identity and class, sexwork and class. I am really happy to have any discussions about representation.

The requirements:

• Email self portrait photographs (taken by you, either by holding the camera or with a self timer) taken while you’re in your ho persona, preferably at work but about to head to work is fine too. Around 5 photos would be great. Send to warren.gracie@hotmail.com
• Do not change the resolution settings on the photos
  
• Working photographs taken in the past are fine if you are not currently working
  
• Give me the following info in the body of the email:
  

  your working name (this can be the one you use or one made up for the project)

  your contact info

  the text “I consent to the use and publication by Warren Gracie of the attached photographs of me”. Include any conditions you have (eg. No online publishing)

  A short blurb on who you are/your experiences or thoughts on working as the gender you were assigned at birth/why you wanted to participate (this part is optional)

The deadline is May 30 2009.

This project is inclusive of pre, post and non medical transition transgender people, including but not limited to female-to-male, male-to-female and genderqueer transgender people. If you identify as trans, you are welcome to participate.

The term ‘sex-worker’ is an umbrella term, including but not limited to dance, full-service, porn, domination, submission, fetish, gf/bf experience and peepshow workers.

Feel free to contact me with any questions. 

warren.gracie@hotmail.com

Inflatable Architecture

Check this genius out: Michael Rakowitz.

In this project, paraSITE, he designed portable housing that could be inflated easily by attaching onto the exhaust from building heating vents. A series of the houses were designed to meet different folk's needs & wants. The project directly tackles issues of gentrification, race, class & public space.

This is a really great example of Social Practice. 

Read the really inspiring interview at: Art matters

Joining the land of the blog

I'm in the process of examining the kind of work I want to do and there are 2 underlying themes: screaming queer and social engagement. There are a few things that I want to achieve with this blog:

1. Exploring some ideas around the collision of camp and simulacra.

2. Discussion about the world of Social Practice.

3. Posting some of my art work in progress for affirmations and feedback.

I’ll be posting info and examples that’ll clarify some of the language I’m using here.

Each week or so I’ll post an example of Camp Simulacra and Social Practice. I would love any discussion, dorking out, recommendations of readings, revelations and sparks flying over this stuff. I’ll post my own work as it happens and I definitely want your comments.

ON CAMP SIMULACRA. AKA EFFIGY/CLIMAX

Simulacra is a particular form of reproduction that results in climax & effigy. There’s a lot out there about either concept. But here is 1 of the key connections I’m making: rather than rejecting binaries and socialised norms by attempting to create cultures/identities that are a slate wiped clean of socialization, camp appropriates and plays with the very restraints camp rejects to disassemble the conventions they intend.

It places those restraints in contexts that render them void. High camp = fierce intervention. I'll be posting some writing and examples of artwork that clarifies & achieves the effigy/climax.

Then, this beautiful thing happens:

Jean Baudrillard argues that a simulacrum is not just a perverted reproduction of the real, but that the embodiment of it makes it a truth in its own right.

So, all this talk about camp is, for me about 2 things: understanding the potential of camp as a political force and appreciating the ways it exists in my subcultures/communities – as our own aesthetic and expression of identity. Channeling camp tradition.

Romantic, I know. But then so is the nature of camp.

Now I know you all are cynically thinking about politically vapid or conservative examples of camp (Mardi Gras Nations United, EG NO.1!) but I want to talk here about the process and examples of camp with radical intention.

Camp Simulacra eg. 1:

 ON SOCIAL PRACTICE

This is where you & me as artist and you & me as community builders can maybe make some magic. Where, as an organizer/community participant you don’t lose yourself as an artist. The two become inseparable and the union of the two becomes intentional.

One definition of ‘Social Practitioner’ has been coined as: social documentarian with agency. Social change is understood to be a continuous and creative process, never A to B. It’s definitely about art of everyday life.

So now there’s been a term coined and a bunch of theory written, maybe we can develop a language around this and strategise ways to use the principles more intentionally with our projects.

Social Practice link no. 1: (some background)

MFA in Social Practice

Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in this stuff, talk to me!