{"id":21269,"date":"2019-02-19T00:02:47","date_gmt":"2019-02-18T23:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ilgrandecolibri.com\/?p=21269"},"modified":"2019-02-19T08:35:07","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T07:35:07","slug":"these-holy-cards-celebrate-the-history-of-butch-heroes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ilgrandecolibri.com\/en\/these-holy-cards-celebrate-the-history-of-butch-heroes\/","title":{"rendered":"These Holy Cards Celebrate the History of “Butch Heroes”"},"content":{"rendered":"

How often do we talk about sexual diversity as the manifestation of a liberation (or a decadence) linked to contemporaneity? While someone is disoriented and sometimes even annoyed by the spread of new words (pangender, genderbender, genderqueer, agender, crossdresser …) to describe differences, the extraordinary artistic and historical work of Ria Brodell, a non-binary and trans artist from Boston (United States), helps us to remember how\u00a0in every age and in every culture there were people who did not fit in with the identity canons<\/strong> of their societies.<\/p>\n

In the beautiful series “Butch Heroes”<\/strong>, collected in a precious volume released in October by The MIT Press (96 pp., $ 24.95), Brodell proposes portraits of real individuals who lived in different cultures in the last centuries, but who had an element in common: assigned females at birth, these people have lived presenting themselves with appearances and behaviours culturally associated with masculinity. Each painting is accompanied by the often tragic story of the painted subjects and a rich bibliography. Il Grande Colibr\u00ec talked with Ria Brodell about their most unique and rare work.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Katherina<\/div>\n
\n

\nKatherina Hetzeldorfer c. 1477 Germany<\/strong>
\ngouache on paper, 11 x 7 inches<\/strong>
\n2012<\/strong>
\nIn the collection of the Davis Museum at Wellesley College<\/strong><\/a>\r\n\t \t\t
In 1477 Katherina Hetzeldorfer was condemned\u00a0to death by drowning in the Rhine by the judges of Speier: his “fault” was to present himself as a man and to have sexual relations with women, using a wooden stick for penetration. All the history and bibliography on\u00a0Ria Brodell<\/a>‘s website.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How do you choose which stories to tell?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I always go back to my initial reason for starting the project– I wanted to know what my life would have been like (as a queer, trans person) had I been born into a different century. The people I choose fit a criteria that relates to me personally- assigned female at birth, presented themselves in a masculine way<\/strong> and had relationships with women. Once I find a person who fits that criteria, then I set about verifying their story.<\/p>\n

L’attenzione ai dettagli iconografici e la bibliografia che accompagna ogni immagine dimostrano un importante lavoro storiografico: how do you reconstruct the stories of the people you portray?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I try to find as much information as possible<\/strong> to tell their story in a concise way, and I include my sources so that viewers can do further research if they\u2019d like. When I\u2019m constructing the painting I\u2019m usually choosing to depict a moment in their life that struck me visually, sometimes I depict them at the time of their death, other times they are working, or just living their every day lives- it really depends on the narrative and what I feel works to get the essence of their story across.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Okuhara<\/div>\n
\n

\nOkuhara Seiko & Watanabe Seiran<\/strong>
\n1837-1913 and 1855-1918 Japan<\/strong>
\ngouache on paper, 11 x 7 inches<\/strong>
\n2013<\/strong>
\nIn the collection of the Davis Museum at Wellesley College<\/strong><\/a>\r\n\t \t\t
Seiko, an assigned female but masculine person, excelled in painting, calligraphy and poetry, in an era when women couldn’t study art. Seiko opened a women’s school and had a\u00a0more than 40 years relationship with Seiran, a student. All the history and bibliography on\u00a0Ria Brodell<\/a>‘s website.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Once I decide how I want to depict them, then I do research on everything in the composition relating to the scene- clothing, tools, their environment<\/strong> (interiors–furniture, wall hangings, lamps etc., or landscapes–buildings, streets, trees etc.) It takes a lot of research. I want everything to be as accurate as possible.<\/p>\n

Why is it so important for you to tell these stories?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I think it\u2019s important to tell their stories to emphasize the fact that gender variance and sexual variance has existed throughout time and all over the world. The LGBTQIA community (to use contemporary terminology) is not included in most history books, our lives are not taught in schools, our stories are often actively ignored<\/strong>. It is extremely important to bring our history to light.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Carl<\/div>\n
\n

\nCarl Lapp c. 1674 Swedish S\u00e1pmi<\/strong>
\ngouache on paper, 11 x 7 inches<\/strong>
\n2012<\/strong><\/a>\r\n\t \t\t
At the time of his death, it was discovered that Carl, who had two wives and a son, had a female body: found guilty of having “frustrated God and his order”, Carl was buried in the forest and not in the consecrated ground of the church yard.\u00a0All the history and bibliography on\u00a0Ria Brodell<\/a>‘s website.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Your work is populated by people of different geographical, ethnic,\u00a0\u2028cultural and religious backgrounds. Do you think these diversities\u00a0\u2028within the actual queer community are adequately recognised?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

No, I don\u2019t, unfortunately. Especially, when looking at historical research<\/strong>. It\u2019s incredibly difficult to find information about people of color, people from indigenous societies or people from non-western and non-Christian cultures. Often I will find stories, but there will be no name recorded or an inadequate amount of information. It\u2019s as if those recording the information didn\u2019t think they were important. It\u2019s incredibly frustrating.<\/p>\n

You define the people in your portraits as \u201cbutches\u201d: why did you\u00a0\u2028choose this word?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I have never intentionally defined my subjects as \u201cbutches.\u201d In fact outside of the title “Butch Heroes” I never use contemporary terms to define or describe them. I chose the word Butch for my title because it\u2019s a concise term associated with masculinity (in appearance and actions), and bravery. It also has a history within the LGBTQIA community and is familiar to the cisgender, heterosexual community. It\u2019s a word that has become a sort of bridge between generations within the queer community. In my personal history, it has been used as an insult towards me, but also as a congratulatory recognition of strength<\/strong>– I enjoy that dual nature.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Clara\"<\/div>\n
\n

\nClara aka Big Ben c. 1926 United States<\/strong>
\ngouache on paper, 11 x 7 inches<\/strong>
\n2014<\/strong>
\nIn the collection of the Davis Museum at Wellesley College<\/strong><\/a>\r\n\t \t\t
On November 17, 1926 a fight broke out between two women, Reba and Louise: Reba, jealous of Louise’s attention towards Clara (a woman so masculine and massive to be nicknamed as the biggest bell in London), cut the throat to her rival.\u00a0All the history and bibliography on\u00a0Ria Brodell<\/a>‘s website.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Today we have a lot of possibilities to\u00a0\u2028define ourselves, our sexual orientation and our gender identity, but most of the people portrayed did not have a precise and non-offensive\u00a0\u2028term to describe themselves…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Exactly. And I\u00a0have no way of knowing how they would define themselves given our choices, and I don\u2019t want to put them into a \u201cbox\u201d in which they may or may not identify: language is incredibly important when it comes to finding community, but it\u2019s such a personal choice.\u00a0That\u2019s precisely why I don\u2019t use contemporary terms<\/strong> when referring to, or describing my subjects. I try to tell their story and depict them in a way that reflects\u00a0the way they presented themselves, the way they talked about themselves.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Biawacheeitche\"<\/div>\n
\n

\nBiawacheeitche or Woman Chief aka Barcheeampe or Pine Leaf c. 1800-1854 Aps\u00e1alooke Nation<\/strong>
\ngouache on paper, 11 x 7 inches<\/strong>
\n2011<\/strong>
\nIn the collection of the Davis Museum at Wellesley College<\/strong><\/a>\r\n\t \t\t
Biawacheeitche was one of the greatest leaders of the\u00a0Aps\u00e1alooke (Crow) nation. Biawacheeitche dressed as a woman, but she had male attitudes, she had two or three wives and always showed great courage in war and hunting.\u00a0All the history and bibliography on\u00a0Ria Brodell<\/a>‘s website.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

From an iconographic point of view, your portraits explicitly\u00a0\u2028reproduce the holy cards of the Catholic tradition. The cover of your\u00a0\u2028book is very reminiscent of religious books, Bibles and missals. It’s\u00a0\u2028not just a provocation, is it?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Oh not at all, it\u2019s meant to be a little bit provocative but also homage. I love the iconography of Catholicism, and though I am no longer Catholic, the historical figures of the church, the saints in particular, still hold a special place for me. I felt the holy card format, and the book\u2019s reference to a church missal or bible was the perfect format. First, because it\u2019s part of my personal history, these objects are used as teaching tools<\/strong> and they were used to teach me about the saints and the church. Second, because holy cards are used in reverence and remembrance.<\/p>\n

So, what better way to remember and learn<\/strong> about the subjects of “Butch Heroes”? This is where I am intentionally being provocative, because many of the subjects of “Butch Heroes” were often punished by the church, or by their Christian community.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Eleno<\/div>\n
\n

\nElena aka Eleno de C\u00e9spedes 1545- c.1588 Spain<\/strong>
\ngouache on paper, 11 x 7 inches<\/strong>
\n2011<\/strong>
\nIn the collection of the Davis Museum at Wellesley College<\/strong><\/a>\r\n\t \t\t
A freed slave of African descent, Elena was sentenced to 200 lashes for marrying a woman. Elena claimed she was a hermaphrodite and that a penis had grown and then disappeared: even the doctors had verified her masculinity before the marriage.\u00a0All the history and bibliography on\u00a0Ria Brodell<\/a>‘s website.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pier Cesare Notaro<\/strong>
\n\u00a92019 Il Grande Colibr\u00ec
\nphoto: \u00a9RiaBrodell – Il Grande Colibr\u00ec<\/p>\n

Read also:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Laurence Philomene: Testimonies of Non-Binary Identities<\/a><\/p>\n

Samra Habib: Islam e Queerness Hand in Hand<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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