Self Portrait as my Mother as a Cheerleader, 2018
Self Portrait as my Mother the day back from the Hospital, 2018
Self Portrait as my Grandmother, 2018
Self Portrait as my Grandfather, 2019
Self Portrait as my Uncle at Homecoming, 2018
Self Portrait as my Aunt getting ready for Prom, 2019
Self Portrait as my Aunt with her Father, 2018
Self Portrait as my Mother at Christmas, 2018
Self Portrait as my Mother at my Father's Military Ball, 2019
In the self-portraits that comprise my body of work Rites, I reenact ceremonies from hetero-normative, cis-gendered culture. These photographs are direct parodies of experiences my family members lived through, but also contain altered details that are more aligned with my queer experience. My work provides the opportunity to participate in celebrations, ceremonies, and rites of passage that are historically not as accessible to me as a queer-identifying person. Placing a visibly-queer character within the context of familial history, I aim to normalize the presence of LGBTQ people in a space they normally hide. Through these performances, my work questions the societal expectations and roles played by those engaged with these age old rituals, while showing the viewer the perspective of not feeling as welcomed to participate in life milestones.
BFA Thesis Installation at Between Two Galleries, Milwaukee WI, 2019
