“What will happen to us?" I asked.
"There will always be us," he answered.
― Patti Smith, Just Kids
“Who taught you to write in blood on my back?
Who taught you to use your hands as branding
irons? You have scored your name into my shoulders,
referenced me with your mark. The pads of your
fingers have become printing blocks, you tap a
message on to my skin, tap meaning into my body.”
― Jeanette Winterson, Written on the Body
"There will always be us," he answered.
― Patti Smith, Just Kids
“Who taught you to write in blood on my back?
Who taught you to use your hands as branding
irons? You have scored your name into my shoulders,
referenced me with your mark. The pads of your
fingers have become printing blocks, you tap a
message on to my skin, tap meaning into my body.”
― Jeanette Winterson, Written on the Body
Queer identity is one of the primary ways in which I relate to the world, and especially to the creation of art. This fundamental aspect of identity is the entry point connecting me to my subjects, who, despite us all being queer, are positioned in circles outside of my own experience. This work focuses on the intricacies of the bonds between lovers, friends, and play partners, and the environments they inhabit.
There Will Always Be Us follows a primary subject, J, and his community of partners, lovers, and friends. Exploring the connections between members of a sexual subculture (leatherdyke community) comprised of queer and trans people, these pictures depict an often stigmatized group that in fact has more in common with viewers than they might initially assume. These connections take multiple forms, and the work highlights the sexual/sensual aspects as well as the community and familial, often in visual opposition.
