More Than This

Submitting Student(s)

Jay ColemanFollow

Session Title

Creative Expressions-Session 2

Faculty Mentor

Claudia O'Steen, M.F.A.; osteenc@winthrop.edu

College

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Department

Fine Arts

Faculty Mentor

Claudia O'Steen, M.F.A.

Abstract

My series More Than This consists of digital photographs that express my frustration with the toxic masculinity present in the trans community, along with my feelings of self-denial, dysphoria, and isolation. Currently, there is a certain mold that masculine aligning trans people have to fit into in order to be accepted and respected in today’s society. Personally, this conception brings along intense feelings of self-hatred and dysphoria, since I do not conform to the mold of the perfect trans masculine person. Why should I restrict how I express myself in public in order to be respected and to make others comfortable? Why is it my responsibility to make them comfortable? What about my own comfort? I’m tired of attempting to fit into a mold created by cisgender individuals. My work challenges this construct by actively disrupting the expectations put on me as a transmasculine person. My self-portraits present a play between femininity and masculinity by including traditionally feminine clothing, along with textures and clothing associated with both men and women. I want to close the gap between the two and help change the narrative of trans masculine people. In addition to this, I incorporate shapes hidden behind the figure as well as invading the space of the figure in order to parallel the feelings of discomfort that I feel. I use circles behind each of the figure’s heads to give a sense of divinity and otherworldliness. With these photographs, I ask the viewers to challenge their preconceived notions about gender and expression and reconsider the restrictive, cisnormative expectations put on trans individuals

Additional Fields About Your Abstract

Please check this if you understand.

Performance Description

It will be an artist talk that will be approximately 7 minutes long.

Start Date

16-4-2021 12:42 PM

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Apr 16th, 12:42 PM

More Than This

My series More Than This consists of digital photographs that express my frustration with the toxic masculinity present in the trans community, along with my feelings of self-denial, dysphoria, and isolation. Currently, there is a certain mold that masculine aligning trans people have to fit into in order to be accepted and respected in today’s society. Personally, this conception brings along intense feelings of self-hatred and dysphoria, since I do not conform to the mold of the perfect trans masculine person. Why should I restrict how I express myself in public in order to be respected and to make others comfortable? Why is it my responsibility to make them comfortable? What about my own comfort? I’m tired of attempting to fit into a mold created by cisgender individuals. My work challenges this construct by actively disrupting the expectations put on me as a transmasculine person. My self-portraits present a play between femininity and masculinity by including traditionally feminine clothing, along with textures and clothing associated with both men and women. I want to close the gap between the two and help change the narrative of trans masculine people. In addition to this, I incorporate shapes hidden behind the figure as well as invading the space of the figure in order to parallel the feelings of discomfort that I feel. I use circles behind each of the figure’s heads to give a sense of divinity and otherworldliness. With these photographs, I ask the viewers to challenge their preconceived notions about gender and expression and reconsider the restrictive, cisnormative expectations put on trans individuals