Queering the Marriage...

I’ve had the idea of recreating my parents’ wedding photo for a while. The idea was mainly spurred from wanting to create a retrospective of my life. A chronological art piece which queers the heteronormativity I’ve know. So I decided to start with the straightest convention, connected to myself, before I was even born. A holy matrimony between man and woman. Marriage. 

It’s a response to thinking about the future, imagining what my family could be like... so I must look back to reference from the only one I know. I’s supposed to be kind of funny? I do find it funny. It’s not too serious but it is a little. I think about the religion I grew up surrounded by, I think about love, I think about the past and future. Although it is queer, it’s not just that. 

‘Divorcing from body’

Catherine Opie

Jo Spence 

Mum + Dad

I have finished! This piece received it’s title in response to lyrics by Linda Perhaps, who introduced me to the concept of Vacillando. This piece concludes my research and feelings. I reject the idea of drifting aimlessly, and am now anchored in my surroundings. My hand reaches the ground, and spreads out like roots in the earth. The podium above holds grass from a collection of common lands and my back garden. A nostalgic model of the home sits onto of the grass. The symbols of body, land and home are bound together in this piece. 

I presented to the group my plan for the final piece. Main thoughts discussed were:

The history of the grass is very important, how can I disclose this information?... Is it worth including in the title somehow?...

Ellie pointed out that location is going to be very important when presenting this work... I should test as many iterations as possible. 

It was mentioned that the imagery of my plan seems to work, but perhaps I could suggest my thoughts more concisely...

I presented the video documentation of ‘Little house in the garden’, the main things to consider were:

The audience received a ‘trippy’, ‘psychedelic’ vibe from the work. This mainly came from the stylised drawings and soft focus camera work. 

The inside seemed ‘almost religious’ or cult like. 

The various ways shown of the piece being viewed was questioned. Why was the viewer watching the home on the ground, and then as it was elevated?

My work feels homely and nostalgic according to the audience

Going forwards..... the way I think of different aspects of my practice seems very binary. It doesn't have to be as black and white as grass on the outside, drawings on the inside.... I need to continue working on the relationships between materials and concept.