The Family Gossip: Part 2
This series of wood panel paintings implements the oil pigment created from the ashes resulting from the initial body of work which was burned. I chose to do a triptych in response to the historical-artistic precedent set by Christian artwork. The structure of the triptych is frequently implemented in Christian art and architecture due to its symbolic nature; the number three is heavily associated with divinity as it corresponds to the Holy Trinity. I wanted my subject to depict a rectified narrative of queer identity in response to the misconstrued ideals portrayed in the first body of work.
The First Fall (triptych 1/3), ashes and oil on wood panel, 2023, 48x30".
The First Fall draws inspiration from the stations of the cross. It represents resignation, the desire to give up and live life in accordance with Catholic cultural standards, but as the title suggests, there is an intent to prevail. Just like the other works in the triptych, the figure has bandages in reference to chest binding, a practice used by trans-masculine individuals in an effort to make their chests appear flatter. In the piece, the bandages also appear to be falling, barely clinging to the body, in response to the defeated pose.
Ascension(triptych 2/3), ashes and oil on wood panel, 2023, 48x72".
The center panel is titled "Ascension," in which the figure feels repressed by the bandages and attempts to break free from them. The hand gesture used in the upper right quadrant of the composition is used throughout art history to represent duality. Biblically, it references the duality of Christ being human and divine. For this work, it represents the duality of gender, portraying a traditional female nude while having the desire to be perceived differently.
The work functions through its use of symbolism appropriated from the very institution it aims to critique.
Pity or Compassion (triptych 3/3), ashes and oil on wood panel, 2023, 48x30".
Alluding to the pose in the Pieta, where Mary supports Jesus' body. This shows the body finally at peace and being either bandaged or unbandaged by another individual, with the peeled backings littered on the floor at the forefront. I wanted to make it so the hand could easily be mistaken as belonging to the body, but upon closer inspection: the thumb appears on the opposing side, meaning it must belong to a second party. This is symbolic of the bonds and relationships queer individuals form with others to find support and leaves us questioning whether the hand is there to aid or harm the body. The application of the coarse, textured ashes diminishes with each panel, giving the painting a lighter appearance and indicating the alleviation of a burden. The bandages carry the conflicting meaning of both self-acceptance and suppression of trans identity, depending on how they act upon the body in the panel being viewed. Ultimately, the series represents a cycle of wanting to remain true to my identity while also conforming to hetero-normative Christocentric standards for the sake of self-preservation.
