AFTERLIVES: (Gender)queer Photographic Self-Representation and Reenactment

Abstract

This thesis consists of a suite of photographic self-portraits and a critical introduction to the history of queer photographic self-representation through performative reenactment. The critical introduction theorizes that queer self-representation has a vested interest in history and its reenactment, whether as a disguise, or as a tool for political messaging and affirmations of existence. The creative component of the thesis is a series of large-scale color photographic self-portraits which reenact classic images from the history of “Western” art, with a marked interest in Catholic martyrdom and images previously used in queer artwork. As a whole, the photographs function as a series of identity-based historical reenactments, illustrated through performative use of the artist’s body and studio space. The photographs were intended for an exhibition that has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The thesis documents their current state, and discusses their symbolism and development.