Blunt the knives, cut the ties, & the body remembers

Scotland, United Kingdom

Content warning: please note - some of the images in this series of paintings depict self-harm and might be triggering for some people.

Many transgender individuals experience incongruity between their biological sex and their gender identity. This can result in great distress and affect their perception of their body image. Blunt the knives is a series of paintings that tears apart the femaleness of my body in an attempt to desexualize myself. This work reveals how in seeking control over the physical body, this can result in increasing mental and physical drain. The internal struggle associated with forming a physical weight, body, and shape that is congruent with finding a Queer Identity is vital to comprehend when discussing the LGBT+ experience with mental illness. The desire for the perfect body that can communicate their sexuality and self to the world is a difficult endeavor. Not only do Queer individuals need to reflect on what otherness means to them, but also figure out how it can manifest physically in a way that can make them content. Since it is no easy task, it can be detrimental to countless people, and such as myself in these works lead to many illnesses such as body dysmorphia, depression, and eating disorders. The body is a mechanism for the trans experience. Some people may feel trapped, suffocated, or even disconnected from their bodies because of their biological sex.

2021

Acrylic

4 x 6"

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