Works by students in "IMAGINING QUEER ASIAN FUTURITIES" 2023 Summer Class, OCAD U.
Artist Work: Alicia Lee, THEZENANNA, Gia-Waihan Naccarato, Saruye, Raymond Lise, Raha Fard, Niko Ionescu, River Kenji Fujimoto, Levi Hwang, Ceejay Garrido, Simrat Marwaha, Lii Wong, Fai Illusri, Shing Ge, Mason Zhao, Jessie Li & Carson Zhang, Lee-Ann Ngu.
This show explores diverse lived experience of Asians, Transcultural, and Queer bodies. Interrogating and critically questioning the ideologies of Pride Queer Narratives in its whiteness, sameness, gender prescripted ideas, homonormative representations, and the furthering of otherness and exoticism of queer Asian Bodies. The title of the show derived from a conversation in class that critiques the idea of Pride in the Queer Community and how most of our experiences as queer Asians reflect on the word that often narrates a different lived experience, one that evokes shame and the prejudice that comes from communities that still upholds a very narrow perspective of queerness in homonormativity, and often times homonationalist ideologies.
These series of works offer us a glimpse of narratives that most queer Asians and queer bodies face in an ever-changing community that begs to ask space to be heard and be visible not to become a fetishized idea of visibility and acceptance. Challenging our notions of queerness outside its westernized perspectives that suppress and exoticize narratives within the Asian Continents. These imagine spaces of hope and kinship that constructs possibilities for a more inclusive understanding and knowledgeable future for queer communities to have an equitable possible imagined space for queer Asian futurities.
These works are a blend of varied creative practice from students that span from Graduate and undergraduate studies in various practices from Life Studies, Design, Drawing and Painting, Integrated Media, Experimental Animation, Creative Writing, and curatorial studies. Both within the LGBTQ2S+ Asian communities as well as allies of the LGBTQ2S+ Asian community.
Welcome to "QUEER PRIDE & PREJUDICE: Transcultural Queer & Asian Futurities" ONLINE EXHIBITION JUNE 2023!
Alicia Lee
“허물" (Ecdysis)
Medium: Sweet Rice Powder, Water, Teapot, Teacup, Tablecloth.
Duration: 00:01:25
Size: Projection Varied
As an Asian ally, I have consistently observed the Korean perspective that views queer individuals as "different" and unacceptable, with society imposing forceful barriers on the community. However, in Western society, I witnessed even harsher treatment towards queer Asians due to their skin tone. The concepts of "skin" and "barrier" stood out to me, as I have personally witnessed and experienced them within the Asian queer community. Inspired by these themes, I present a performance titled "허물" (Ecdysis)
In "허물" (Ecdysis), I explore the process of shedding old skin or casting, reminiscent of how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. Although ecdysis can be challenging, it ultimately gives rise to a new form—a beautiful and fascinating outcome. As an ally, I find the strength and resilience of the Asian queer community captivating, particularly their efforts to challenge society's preconceptions and broaden its horizons. This parallels the transformative nature of ecdysis.
Unfortunately, society can be cruel toward the community. Despite their continuous efforts, I have observed a cycle where the Asian queer community strives to be seen and accepted, only to be rejected by society, leading to the rebuilding of barriers time and time again. This cycle reminds me of how snakes undergo ecdysis while still alive. Through this performance, I aimed to critique this topic as well.
During the project, I use a mixture of sweet rice powder and water, commonly used in my home country of Korea for making kimchi and other foods. Once the mixture dries, it forms a cast resembling that of a snake or insect before undergoing ecdysis. In the performance, I symbolically shed and remove as much rice glue as possible from my skin, representing the ecdysis process described earlier. The music choice includes "Our Last Dream" by DPR Cream and a brief interlude with "With or Without You" by Amy Lee. During the interlude, I collect the shed rice glue and pour it into a teapot containing more rice glue, creating a "tea" that I subsequently pour into a teacup. Finally, I turn my back to the audience, sitting in contemplation, symbolizing the cyclical nature of the topic.
This performance is both a tribute to the Asian queer community and a critique of the toxic cycles perpetuated by society. As an ally, I, a heterosexual woman, deeply respect and will continue to stand alongside the Asian queer community, fighting for their rights.
LANDSCAPE | Environment Design
RELATIONSHIP | CONVERSATION, REFLECTION
THEZENANNA
"Reimagined Vietnam"
Medium: Digital Illustration (Photoshop, Procreate)
Size: Varied to the Digital Platform
This is a visual development project–concept art illustration research–that re-visualizes, reimagines, and reclaims my home country Vietnam without colonization. My home had been colonized for thousands of years. I made this project as a born and raised Vietnamese to further understand my identity as I grow up and visit other cultures.
Through Reimagined Vietnam, I honour today’s existing tribes who managed to maintain their culture from colonization. I am also introducing my personal creative and innovative interpretation inspired by my family and friends. I am also acknowledging my own limited insights and biases as a young adult born in the 21st century who is fortunate enough to never experience life in Vietnam during colonization.
I began with a research including reference gathering of what Vietnamese society and civilization looked like before we were colonized. I decided that the time stamp was 208 BC, which was right before the Chinese dynasty colonized us for the very first time. On the other hand, because there were little to no visual records of what the civilization looked like then, I decided to base some of the visual language on the existing Vietnamese tribes, who were isolated from the society and thus, their culture survived and mostly maintained through thousands years of colonization. Therefore, some aspects of this world building were designed from scratch, while some were developed based on existing Vietnamese Nguyen 2 tribes such as: Tay Nguyen, Tay Bac, Viet Bac, and Bac Bo, along with visual evidence from ancient cultures recorded or sustained such as: Cham culture (or Champa) and Dong Son culture.
This concept art project includes two main parts: the people (character design) and the landscape (environmental design), what the people would have worn and what their surroundings would have looked like. It is important to note that the visual language in my
vision rejects harmful aspects existing in Vietnamese culture such as: homophobia, transphobia, body shaming, sexism, and many others. My vision for this alternate Vietnam reflects gender equality, gender fluidity, representation of disabled bodies, and many other humane aspects I personally stand by.
I Honour today’s existing tribes who managed to maintain their culture from colonization. I present my own creative & innovative interpretation. I acknowledge my own limited insights & biases as a young adult born in 21st century.
Gia-Waihan Naccarato
"Labour of Love"
Medium: Photography, Digital Manipulation
Size: Varied Projected on the wall Life Size.
‘Labour of Love’ is an Asian exploration into queer visibility, reaching into the spirituality of the everyday that is central to my practice as a whole. Using my own space in my apartment, I invited Asian and queer friends to be photographed while preparing oranges. As a culturally and spiritually significant fruit in many Asian nations, I document this process of preparing the orange for eating as a social custom of care and high regard within Asian communities today. The action of cutting fruit for one another has in recent years been deemed as a unique tradition within Asian families that carries a further depth and hidden meaning of care, gratitude, and commitment to labouring out of love for loved ones. These values within the Asian communities can be understood neatly within this custom, and thus is why I chose it for documentation in queer contexts. The vast majority of our nations do not yet allow for queer life–and though our identities as queer Asians persists as it does in the rest of the world, we still fail to be seen simultaneously as contributors to our Asian communities as well
'our queer ones. The majority of us exist separately in each of these spaces. In this month of June I wanted to showcase us as visible queers labouring in the continuation of our cultural customs, marrying the separations we have always faced between both communities and documenting that visibility. Initially I used video to capture the whole process, then captured stills from these videos order to collage and modify the visuals into 3 different and more aesthetically eccentric works that would not only draw more attention, but also invoke deeper themes and emotions. By overlaying stills and then touching up with editing and colour balancing, I demonstrate time and movement, something I wanted to keep in my work despite its still format. Using colours reminiscent of early digital and photography, I imbue the work with elements of nostalgia while capturing the blurs of motion across overlaid stills that indicate the continued passing of time. With these elements I try to refer to the perpetual movement and cycle of our lives and queer existence: despite a lack of documentation, we persist generation after generation to exist here.
My practice centres on the supposedly mundane and the everyday as sources of spirituality and the human experience. ‘Labour of Love’ is another work in which I reach deep into simplicity to bare, core elements of our life and struggle within cultural and queer contexts. It invites us to greater meaning and depth when we can do the simplest things and just be.
Saruye | سارویھ
مابین؛ نھ اینجا، نھ آنجا: بی جا؟
"In Between; Not Here, not there: out of Place?"
Medium: Image, Video, and Sound from Personal Archives and Online.
Duration: 00:01:00 on a Loop.
“In Between; Not Here, not there: out of Place?” is a collection consisting of photos, recorded audio and videos, more than ninety percent of which I have made myself in the two countries where I have lived, Iran and Canada.
My goal in creating this piece is to reconstruct remarkable and unforgettable feelings and experiences from the past!
We may or may not know why some events are special, but usually, even if we know why an occurrence or feeling is unique, part of this reason is indescribable because experiences and feelings go beyond words!
The selection of files does not follow a linear timeline but includes only those that carry strong emotions.
Linking these specific files takes on a new meaning. For instance, To Iranians, the streets are familiar. The people and the way they dress all seem very common, but suddenly, they see pictures and hear unfamiliar sounds! Canadians get an experience of Iran and Iranians, even though they have never seen Iran up close!
Finally, watching this video is heavy and sad for me. This unpleasant feeling is probably due to the fact that my home is no longer the same “home.” I am no longer there for my home, and the home is not here for me. I am an immigrant. I am neither here nor there. I am in between. Out of place, maybe?
Reymond Lise
"Transhood"
Medium: Mixed Media Zine
Size: 11" x 8.5" Inches
For this project I wanted to explore the concept of boyhood/manhood as it relates to growing into ones trans identity. Growing up I felt a lingering feeling of wrongness in almost everything I did. I wanted to create a zine that served as both a narrative device to tell my story and an informational field study on colonial concepts of gender norms and expectations. I wanted to explore a short snipit of my journey growing into my identity and what I have learned about gender from my friends and family along the way. Gender to me still remains a mystery, a scientific inquiry that ceases to disappoint with its depth and complexities.
I was working on a paper rough copy with plans to make a purely digital zine, but when I started creating the digital zine I began to feel less and less inspired. While the digital format was more accessible and easily editable, it was missing that tactile element that I enjoy as part of creating. Because of this I decided to abandon the digital avenue and create a zine using the small ‘rough copy’ booklet I designed after our visit to the gay bookstore and while talking with our class members about queer stuff and life in general.
1. You Are
Observation
I was born a girl, and nothing could change that. I was put in pastel pinks and told to smile even when I felt empty inside.
Observed
I was expected to like princesses and pretty things, which I did well enough. I was content playing with my Barbies, yet I was drawn to science.
Observer
And yet something wasn’t right. Maybe it was in the minute differences in how my parents treated my brother and me, the subtle nudges towards more feminine interests and expressions, but something was off.
2. Acknowledgment;
I want to open this study by recognizing my privileged position as a white person living in a colonial country. The land which I have grown to call home and continue to practice on is the traditional home of the; Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Huron-Wendat, and the Mississaugas of the Credit, who were the original caretakers of the land before European invasion and colonization.
3. Expectations;
I was supposed to be a girl but wasn’t like others. Something made me different, I just didn’t know what it was. I just didn’t belong.
When being a girl failed, I switched teams. I was doing what I thought would make me more comfortable, and it did for a time but something still wasn’t right. I wasn’t like other boys.
No matter where I went I felt like I didn’t belong, so I spent most of my time alone. Trying to fit in only made me feel more estranged, I kept asking myself ‘What is wrong with me?’
4. Binaries;
Man & Women
Male & Female
Gay & Straight
We as humans construct barriers to help us organize the chaos of the universe, but these rules are more often harmful than helpful. The truth is that nature doesn’t operate in strict binaries. There exists an entire world of gender variation beyond the limited blinders of colonial cis-hetero-patriarchal constructions of sex and gender. Embracing one end of the gender spectrum isn’t rejecting another. Masculinity and femininity don’t exist at odds with each other but in harmony. My grandpa once told me that we all contain divine masculine and feminine energy and I believe that to be true.
5. Cited Inspirations;
Masculine of Center | Whose Land | Whitehead, J. (2018). Jonny Appleseed. Arsenal Pulp Press | Special thanks to; Fai Illusri, Julius Poncelet Manapul, Pirikti Logeswararajan, Aimée Anctil, Amanda Rattana, Niko Ionescu, my mother Candice Abric, my father Kevin Lise, my grandpa Henry Lise, my cat Lina.
6. Spectra;
I have seen many interpretations of the gender spectrum, but they still feel limited by only exploring 2-D possibilities. Seems to be limiting for 3-Dimensional beings, no? We can think of gender as a 3-dimensional spectrum that accounts for the complexities and diversity in gender identity and expression reflected in society.
Matter isn’t solid. Why should we be?
Raha Fard
"Woven Bodies"
Medium: Digital Collage in Photoshop
Size: 78.7" x 59" Inches
I am floating in the blood. People are being executed innocent each dawn, their eyes won’t leave me, their joyful eyes, filled with love won’t leave me to the end of my world. I am smothered by feeling the parents suffering, by feeling the children’s small hands seeking their parents, I am smothered by their traumatized bodies. I repress the anger, inside my body, the anger that comes from the sense of inability in helping them.
Experiencing the pain in the traumatized bodies of people of my homeland, and bringing my body's feelings into my art practice, I use the cultural elements which are connected to all the people of my homeland, such as Persian Rugs. Persian rugs are woven in different regions of my country, people use their bodies, and their hands, to weave Persian rugs, and each community brings its cultural elements, its daily life, and its environmental conditions into the rugs. There is no difference in where the people are coming from, and what is their economic, and social levels, every family has at least one Persian rug in their home. It could be from any region, or it could be a cheap one or an expensive one, but there is at least one Persian rug in each home. In the news I see Persian rugs in the homes of people who have lost their loved ones, their children..., They sit on those rugs.... They mourn on those rugs.
Incorporating my body’s silhouette from previous projects, (Evanescence Archival Series), showing my body's unsettlement with the Persian rug covering me, and some photos of my solitude, conveys the suffering, depression, and pressure which I felt in the past several years as an Iranian female artist in exile. I used those silhouettes in making floral patterns for the Persian rugs, by digital collage in Photoshop.
The Islamic Republic has oppressed the whole country and all the communities in the past 44 years, but there are two specific communities that experienced the most oppression during these years. Kurd, and Balouch people living on two different borders of the west, and east of the country, were kept in poverty and repressed all the past years. I depict my body's experience of their suffering, by making my art using the vector elements of the rugs, coming from these two regions in Iran. ( here is the Kurdish one.) In addition, for me, there are no other colors than red (blood) and black (mourning) to convey this huge and deep pain in my work.
Niko Ionescu
"Binecuvantare Cuidate" (Strange Blessings)
Medium: Embroidery Hoop, Red Thread, Muslin Fabric, Red Seed Beads
Size: 12" x 12" Inches Fabric
For this project, the focus on using traditional “phytomorphic” Romanian embroidery to communicate the experience of being a first-generation Romanian-Canadian non- binary lesbian.
I made an embroidered piece which was inspired by a prayer my parents would recite to me before bed every evening, decontextualized as a blessing for a queer couple. The symbol in the middle is a sigil for the phrase “May angels kiss you while you sleep”. The red thread used in this project as well as the beads represent the blood of Christ, an important symbol in current Romanian culture. Every symbol used is derived directly or inspired by the traditional shirts worn mainly in the countryside called “Ie”.
My parents were the first in our families to escape communist rule in the early 90s. My family faced trauma and backlash for fighting against what is more accurately referred to as fascism, and although they made progress, there are still anti-queer teachings that continue to resonate with some members of my family to this day.
I have been threatened and shunned by members of my family for being openly queer. Being queer is one of the worst things you could possibly do within the Orthodox Christian Church. This has caused a deep disconnect and fear of my Romanian heritage. In recent years I started embroidering and this is something that is a huge part of Romanian culture, and has been passed down in my family for generations.
My family has not always been Orthodox Christian, I believe we were pagan once upon a time. Some of the phyotomorphic symbolism is deeply pagan, and there is queerness in magick.
With using embroidery that evokes Romanian craft and blending its own cultural folklore and practices, this installation work is meant to hang above the bed. This work critiques religious rituals and beliefs and reflects on where queer bodies can exist or erased simultaneously. The red thread and beads symbolize the spiritual blood and how this striking contrast against the whiteness of the fabric creates its decorative stain. Embroidered symbol surrounds the ubiquitous monogram and somewhat queering up the narrative such as the two female figures seen on the bottom left of the frame. The unfinished stitches evoke a possible future that have not yet happened reflecting on its own tangible lingering floating existence of queer futurity beyond the weight of religious past and self-assertion to contemporary queerness and crafting.
River Kenji Fujimoto
"Flagging Kinship" (一体性)
Medium: Denim, Sashiko Thread, Sunprint Linen Patches
Size: Wearable Life Size Jacked
Flagging Kinship (一体性) (ittaisei/oneness, unity, inclusion) is a mixed media piece using embroidery, denim and cyanotype patchwork embellishments on an existing denim jacket. The garment is inspired by themes of connection, belonging, community, flagging and reconnection to traditional practices. Inspired by queer hanky code flagging, this denim jacket is a response to Fujimoto’s desire as an ethnically ambiguous mixed Japanese person to “flag” to other Japanese people using Japanese embroidery and patchwork embellishments.
Sashiko thread and collected denim scraps from over the years were collected from the artist and kin after posting a call-out for denim scraps and used for this piece. The purpose of this work was for Fujimoto to restore and redesign the denim jacket they inherited from their father. This jacket has been worn to shreds, held together by safety pins and was almost to the point where it can no longer be worn. Using traditional Japanese embroidery and repairing techniques sashiko and boro, the hope and goal was to be able to wear this jacket once the restoration was complete.
For many young queer and trans people, especially punks, adorning their denim jackets, vests, jeans, and over the shoulder bags with patches with political statements is common. Influenced by queer and trans punks before them, the artist pulled from queer punk aesthetics by adding patches to the denim jacket that act as a nod to queer communities. This jacket is in response to Fujimoto’s desire to belong within their communities, to be seen, recognized, included and united with other Japanese people, as their kin while honouring their queerness. Originally starting out as a work in progress in Shannon Gerrard’s class Out & About in winter 2022, Fujimoto was inspired from conversations after attending artist in residence Hazel Meyer’s artist talk on historically queer spaces and (hanky code) flagging. Referencing historical and contemporary queer punk aesthetics like ripped jeans, denim jackets covered in pins and handmade patches with political statements. Fujimoto adorned the jacket with pansies and dandelions sunprints as a way of confronting the historical queerphobic and homophobic connotations of these flowers, and reclaims them as signifiers of queerness.
As a mixed race trans person, much of Fujimoto’s work explores themes of disconnection as part of a diaspora and queerness. More recently, they have been working with themes of belonging, imposter syndrome and relationships. They consider their current practice as a self-study to explore these themes to help them understand the complexities of what all these intersections look like and mean to them. Their work can be interpreted as self portraiture, as they use their practice to better understand navigating spaces and systems. Being a fourth generation Japanese Canadian, their family has been settled in Canada for several generations. Due to the internment of Japanese Canadians during the second World War, Japanese-Canadians who were interned and their descendants, Fujimoto included; have lost access to their language, tradition and cultural practices. Ultimately caused by cultural assimilation tactics that were used by the Canadian state and out of survival for Japanese Canadians. Due to this history, Fujimoto makes the effort to learn about their heritage and relearn the culture that was lost from generation to generation. With this denim jacket, they wear symbols of their culture and queer/transness on their back to represent these parts of themself.
Levi Hwang
"SELF-..."
Medium: Digital & Photography
Size: Paper Poster Print 11" x 8.5" inches, and Photo Digital Documentation of public space size varied depending on wall projection.
The title SELF-... is in reference to the concept of root words and suffixes, where the “-...” of the title indicates that a suffix is waiting to be attached to “self”. In the case of this work, the suffixes “-less” and “-ish” are presented to the viewer to establish a dialogue that I hope to communicate with my poster design and photography. It is also meant to cause a paradox, wherein focusing on the root word “self”, we can’t help but question: then why do we never get to clearly see the main subject, the self?
I intend for SELF-... to exist in various spaces, anywhere you may see missing posters, as a missing poster is the primary motif and object to be used in the work. There will also be a focus on texture, so spaces that vary in setting are ideal, to establish variety and a feeling of traveling through different places. The missing poster is meant to behave as a metaphor for a state/feeling of absence and vacancy, both of which I feel is relevant in consideration to my own experience in my identity, gender identity, and the celebration and pride I feel has gone missing in a month that I should be feeling it the most. Within these spaces occupied by the missing poster, HIM (referring to the person who is missing, AKA me) is candidly pictured drifting through the environment not as a main character as he should be, but almost as an avoidant background character.
The work will be executed through a series of photographs, with accompanying elements of the designed missing poster (created in Illustrator and printed out) and myself as a background subject that purposely avoids being fully seen by the camera. The album will be edited and color graded to feel more consistent with one another, such as adjusting light values and hues. The primary practice occurring in SELF-... is photography, though it will be hosted through a website to further immerse the viewer into this idea of being a participant in trying to find HIM (as if you were really trying to find this person and went online to help look for him).
My lived experience as a trans/NB man who has struggled with dysphoria and being vocal about my identity - both issues I still struggle with today - informs SELF-... as primarily a piece on coming out, though it is a coming out in the most withdrawn and avoidant way. It stems from my feelings of general frustration in how even during Pride month, I feel unable to celebrate and talk about myself, and how my struggle with mental health has caused an absence in the feelings necessary to experience the self-love and celebration that’s meant to accompany a coming out.
SELF-... isn’t what would be traditionally assumed of a piece meant to encapsulate a person’s coming out, though in the current climate of my headspace and feelings, I feel it’s the most I’m capable of revealing and allowing to be vulnerable. While I initially approached this work with an intention for blatant positivity and self-love, I wanted to feel accurate and reflective of what’s really going on; I want to stay true to my experience, and I know I would be unable to create such a personal piece without remaining loyal to what I really feel about it. I’m hoping that through this piece, eventually I’ll be able to get to a place where I can someday revisit it and flesh out the original themes of self-love and celebration that I wished for, and I wish it upon my future self to be “found” and not missing or absent.
Ceejay Garrido
“Celebrating Precolonial Filipino Feminism: Mayari”
Medium: Digital Illustration & Animation
Duration: 00:00:02
Size: Varied to the Digital Platform
My work is titled “Celebrating Precolonial Filipino Feminism: Mayari” and it is visual/ conceptual development for animation of a modern retelling of a Filipino mythological story which illustrates precolonial Filipino ideals of feminism. As a Filipino-American woman, my journey of cultural re-discovery took an unexpected turn when I stumbled upon the colourful stories of Filipino mythology in my adulthood. Among the countless tales that captivated my imagination, the story of Mayari, the Filipino lunar goddess, resonated deeply within me. Mayari's narrative embodied the essence of feminine strength and resilience, offering me a powerful source of inspiration in my own life.
This inspiration for this project mainly comes from the story “Why the Sun Is Brighter than the Moon” which follows the journey of Mayari and her brother, Apolaki. Both were children of the almighty creator of the world, Bathala, and their bright eyes provided the light for the entire world creating eternal day on earth. When Bathala grew old and passed away, he failed to choose an heir and thus began the quarrel between son and daughter over inheritance of the world. Mayari’s unwavering determination to uphold her right to succession, claiming she was no less her father’s child than her brother, led to a fearsome battle which left her blinded in one eye. By emphasizing Mayari's strength, resilience, and agency in the battle against Apolaki, this concept demonstrates her as an equal counterpart to her brother, championing the importance of gender balance and challenging patriarchal norms. Discovering Mayari and delving deeper into Filipino mythology provided me with a renewed sense of identity and belonging. It allowed me to embrace and celebrate the multifaceted aspects of being a Filipino American woman, weaving together the threads of my heritage and cultural experiences while overcoming the limiting pathways of a patriarchal society.
I created all the illustrations for the environment and character designs using Photoshop, including my animation test for Mayari’s character. The character design process for Mayari aims to portray her just as the Filipino people saw her: a symbol of the diverse strengths and capabilities of Filipino women. The process begins with visual research into the splendid culture and history of the Philippines. This included studying the Boxer Codex, which is a Spanish Manuscript that holds some of the earliest documentation of 16th century Filipino anthropology. I studied the pictures in this document to understand the cultural context surrounding Mayari's character. For the environmental design, I studied pictures of Mount Mayon, also known as Mayon Volcano, which is located in Luzon, Philippines. I felt the environment has such powerful and eruptive energy that it could potentially be a good setting for the infamous battle between Mayari and Apolaki.
Through Mayari's story, I learned that my heritage carries with it a legacy of strong, resilient women who have triumphed over challenges throughout history. It empowered me to embrace my own strength and resilience, and to see myself as a reflection of the goddess who walks among the stars. I hope to honour Mayari by channelling her strength and resilience in my own life. I strive to embody her qualities as I navigate the complexities of my identity and advocate for the recognition and appreciation of Filipino culture. Through this visual journey, I seek to share the beauty and power of Filipino mythology, inviting others to embark on their own journeys of cultural discovery and find inspiration in the stories that have shaped us.
Simrat Marwaha
"बॉलीवडु की शर्म" (Bollywood’s Shame)
Medium: Digital Collage / Movie Poster. The two films used for this project was "Laawaris" (1981) and "Badhaai Do" (2022).
Size: 27" x 40" inches
“Bollywood’s Shame” touches about how in India, especially in Bollywood movies, the homophobia is very present and very stereotypical. This relates back to my project proposal because I wanted to expose Bollywood films for their mistreatment of the queer community.
Since I am targeting movies in my project, I think that making a movie poster and hanging it up in a movie theatre would reach my target audience the fastest. Or even creating this as a pop-up ad. I would like those who are watching movies that stereotype the queer community to realize that they are part of the problem as well when they are watching these hurtful movies.
This is important to me because as an ally, I have watched TV shows and movies where a hetero man is dressed up as a woman to make them the butt of the joke. I remember thinking to myself about how a hetero man dressed up as a woman okay, but having someone who is transgendered or is a drag queen play these characters is not okay just because they are queer when the queer community is more respectful towards women and would never make fun of them. These roles are both sexist and homophobic and needs to be changed. Even though there are movies now that are showing an openly queer couple, the press for these movies still pushes a heteronormative looking couple to get viewer engagement up. I wanted to create a poster that changes that.
For this poster I tried creating a digital collage of sorts. I am not the best at graphic design, but it is something that I want to push myself to do more of. Using different layers and playing with the colours and saturation, I created a poster that could cause a stir. In my progress posters, I had used the movie “Badhaai Do” as the title for the poster since I took inspiration from the actual movie. However, for the final I had used the phrase "बॉलीवडु की शर्म” which translates to “Bollywood’s Shame” thus the name of this project.
For this project I really wanted to show India for its mistreatment of the queer community and how it needs to be fixed. I know it is going to be a long journey for India and Bollywood to be more accepting of the LGBT+ community as it is still looked down upon, however with my poster and possibly more works like this in the future, maybe it could help the process.
Lii Wong
还在 (Still Here)
Medium: Collage Video Editing, Audio, Text + Translation
Duration: 00:03:47
还在; Still Here is a video, text, and audio based project that highlights queer Chinese media despite its censorship. As a Creative Writing major and enthusiast, this is a self-written letter to the country of China and its people in power that has been translated from English to Mandarin, and later voiced over by me as well. All of the content mentioned and included in the video are works that have inspired me and have changed me in some way, influencing the work that I do. This video is not quite meant to be a protest but rather a statement, saying that no matter what is done to censor these works and these queer existences, we are— and I am— still here.
The intention of making this piece with a combination of video, audio, and text is to bring a full experience of reality and showcase what I do. I believe that being able to put words into something that can be seen and heard is extremely important as it further brings the concept to life, rather than it just being on a page. When I write and edit, I always make sure to bring together the most important parts of what I want to convey; e.g. in this project, I name very specific details from different media to show that queerness and queer love can be found even in the most seemingly insignificant of places. On its own, no one expects plain congee to have much meaning, but when it’s surrounded by this context of no one has ever cooked for her before, no one has ever taught her to wield something made of metal to make something warm to be shared rather than use it to kill, then it becomes so much more. I want to tell stories with my work, highlighting things that may be overlooked by others, and helping to bring foreign media to more audiences. I don’t want censorship to be something that scares people away— because there is still so much to be seen despite its presence.
This project questions Chinese censorship, through the lens of queer media in particular. Queer people in China have existed since as early as the Shang dynasty of 16th to 11th century BCE and have gone through a lot since then until now in 2023. Whether it be forcing openly out celebrities to delete their posts proclaiming their sexualities and banning them from work, or keeping long-completed dramas locked away from airing, or removing dramas from platforms, or sentencing authors of BL (‘Boy’s Love’) novels to years in prison, or cutting out scenes from overseas media and blurring out rainbow flags, and even the simple act of removing the explicitly queer events of novels when adapting them into live television, the strict censorship of the Chinese government persists to this day.
I decided on this subject matter because it is present in my every day. I engage in queer Asian fandoms and the works that have touched these people and myself on a daily basis, seeing content from queer people and non-queer people alike. Ever since I started getting into Chinese media, I’ve learned a lot about censorship and its effects and consequences. While my piece is simple, I try to demonstrate my frustration with censorship and how unnecessary it is— with so much love that is already shown in this media, what is stopping them from taking a step further? Why is there this roadblock that remains when others have long surpassed it?
I’ve lived under cisheteronormative traditions and ideals all my life, and will likely continue to— why must it persist in the media I consume? When will it be allowed to triumph? This piece is a confrontation of that, and is meant to be a conversation starter. It’s supposed to be the match instead of the fire, if that makes sense.
It is important to me as a Singaporean-Malaysian, Chinese-speaking nonbinary bisexual because it has several parts of me to make a whole. Several of my favourite pieces of media are in this piece, and being able to speak these words in one of my native languages in connection to them means a lot to me. I’m not 100% fluent in Mandarin, and I actually learned a few new words from translating this piece.
When I was growing up, I strictly saw cisheteronormative Chinese dramas on my living room TV, and was constantly being faced with the idea of only two genders, only marrying the opposite sex, etc. I never considered my own identity and my own queerness until I started to be exposed to the Western queer community and realized I could be something else. I struggled with my identity for a long time due to the traditions that were imposed on me; even now, while confident in my identity, the pressure to be otherwise hasn’t ceased. It wasn’t until two years ago when I discovered the BL and GL genres in the Asian queer community that I grew into who I am now. I am so much more comfortable in my skin being surrounded by people like me, and getting to see people like me on screen. It’s a dream of mine that one day I’ll get to see the actors I look up to have their queer characters say directly that they’ve fallen in love, that they like whatever genders they like, and that they’re so happy to have been able to play these roles and act these love stories; but for now, I’ll take what I can get and make the most out of it.
Fai Illusri
"I AM YOU WE ARE ONE"
Medium: Edited Digital Photograph, Wooden Structures, Nail Polish, Sharpie Markers, Acrylic Paint, Wallet, Live Conversation & Interaction.
Size: 27" x 39" Inches, Installation Objects around the Photograph are varied.
Shing Ge
"The Intimacy of Women"
Medium: Digital Animation
Duration: 00:00:17
From a psychoanalytic perspective, our early bond with our mothers plays a crucial role in shaping our relationships and desires. As infants, we rely on our mothers for everything, feeling an intense closeness and safety with them. However, as we grow older, we develop a desire for independence and move toward our fathers as symbols of rationality. For women, their relationship with their mothers remains tied to their own gender. They have the potential to become mothers themselves, but as they mature, physical intimacy with their mothers becomes less common. Nevertheless, female friendships often become a source of deep emotional connection. Women understand and appreciate each other, providing high emotional value and engaging in intimate behaviours like holding hands, hugging, and crying together. During adolescence, it can be challenging to distinguish between friendship and romantic love, especially for women. The desire for physical intimacy, including kissing and hugging, can be present for both men and women. However, societal pressures, such as female competition, vanity, and the misogyny ingrained in patriarchal societies, often push women to believe they should exclusively pursue relationships with men. As a result, women may seek out men and engage in sexual relationships to satisfy their longing for love and physical affection. This longing is not purely physical but stems from an inner emptiness, leading to what may be perceived as sex addiction. In societies where same-sex orientations are not widely accepted, marriage may be seen as the only option for establishing long-term, stable, and intimate relationships. The concept of the animation centers around the relationship between the artist and their mother, transitioning to same-sex friendships during adolescence. The predominant colour, pink, symbolizes the early womb experience, where the perception of reds and pinks could have been present. This subconscious association with pink may provide a sense of comfort.
The animation aims to depict the challenges faced by women as they navigate societal expectations, including the pressure to find a boyfriend. It highlights how the allure of vanity and comparisons can lead some women, who may not be fully aware of their own homosexuality, to conform to heterosexuality and overlook their potential for loving other women.
Mason Zhao
"Don’t Hide Emotions & Love"
Medium: Paper, Graphite, Markers
Size: 11" x 8.5" Inches
The country I live in, China, has absolutely no tolerance for LGBTQ+. We have more than 5,000 years of culture, but these cultures tell us that men should marry a wife and have a son so that they can carry on the name and blood; Women should fulfill their marital obligations and be good wives and mothers. These cultures emphasize heterosexuality and inheritance; strongly oppose the emergence of gay and transgender people.
The tragic experiences of queer lives in the reproductive conservative and religious cultures are in stark contrast to those in countries where homosexuality is openly accepted. I wanted to highlight queer marriage and acceptance without having to hide, and boldly express kinship and affection, in liberated countries.
The picture of "Gay Pride" is what I am looking forward to. It is still difficult to achieve such inclusiveness in my place of life, but I believe that such inclusiveness will gradually open up from gender equality. In the near future, people will be tolerant and understand 2SLGBTQ+, and people in China will also have our "Gay Pride".
This work depicts two men holding hands on the streets of Zurich with their marriage licenses in the background of the rainbow flag representing. These two men are the characters in my previous article on 'Traditional Culture, Law, and Homosexuality'. After seeing Gay Pride, I imagined a happy ending for these two characters. These Asian couple have broken with tradition, as they held their marriage license and kissed, and the queer community was their witness. In addition, I painted two women wearing rainbow flags in the Pride Parade in Zurich. These are renderings from a collection personal digital photos.
Jessie Li & Carson Zhang
"Part of That World: Public Announcement"
Medium: Animation Video (3-4 FPS video)
Duration: 00:01:37
"Part of That World" intertwines the captivating narrative of the Little Mermaid with the profound real-world experiences of the queer community in their quest for self-identity. This short film embarks on a transformative journey that challenges stereotypes and addresses discriminatory attitudes, particularly focusing on the concerns faced by the transgender community. Through a masterful blend of visual storytelling and poetic narratives, it artfully shines a light on the multifaceted experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, interwoven with the familiar themes of the cherished fairy tale.
The objects and spaces within "Part of That World" carry deep symbolic meanings, reflecting the experiences, struggles, and triumphs of the transgender community. They serve as a symbolic representation of the transgender experience, where individuals find empowerment and confidence in expressing their gender identity authentically. Hairbrush, reflecting the inner struggles and self-reflection experienced by Alex, the human boy, is also a tool for self-discovery and acceptance, where characters confront their reflections and embrace their authentic selves. The fishtail symbolizes the societal expectations and pressure to conform, challenging transgender individuals to navigate their true identities within a world that often imposes rigid norms and binary constructs. Also, schools are significant spaces in "Part of That World," representing the broader societal landscape and the need for inclusivity and understanding. These spaces provide an opportunity to address the challenges faced by transgender youth and promote education and acceptance.
We refined and expanded upon the initial concept by brainstorming and exploring narrative arcs. Ensure to include personal experiences or knowledge of the transgender community to ensure authentic storytelling. Later, we developed a compelling script that intertwines the narrative of The Little Mermaid with the affairs of transgender individuals, providing the hand balance of sensitivity, authenticity, and a captivating narrative structure. We considered the emotional impact of each scene and how the animation will convey the nuances of the transgender experience. For animation production, we utilized digital hand-drawn technique. We also specifically paid attention to facial expressions, body language, and subtle details that convey the characters’ emotional journey.
We try to demonstrate the conceptual idea of "Part of That World" from a deep understanding of the importance of representation and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, specifically the transgender community. The subject matter was chosen to shed light on the challenges, triumphs, and complexities faced by transgender individuals. We aim to use the universal appeal of the Little Mermaid and the power of storytelling to raise awareness, challenge stereotypes and create positive change for the transgender community.
"Part of that world" can be a canvas for the diversity of LGBTQ+ experiences to unfurl. The fusion of the Little Mermaid's timeless allure and the realities of transgender experiences presents a unique opportunity to raise awareness and cultivate empathy. Their journeys reflect the many experiences of real-life people navigating the challenging landscape of self-discovery and social acceptance. It seeks to inspire communities to engage with transgender youth, fostering safe spaces and mentorship opportunities that empower them to navigate their journeys of self-discovery with dignity and resilience.
Lee-Ann Ngu
"INTERSECTIONS: How I Navigate as a Queer Asian"
Medium: Digital Smartphone Series
Size: Varied from the Viewing Platform
INTERSECTIONS is a series of smartphone photography of Toronto that have shaped my two intersecting identities of queer and Asian. The series will feature places, neighbourhoods, schools, people, and objects surrounding 8 concepts/moments of my life that shaped my personal Queer Asian experience. This project shows a series of photo essay, where some of the concepts are best explained through photos, and others best explained with a short paragraph.
Many thanks for visiting this online exhibition!
Poster Series Designs Below by Julius P Manapul