"Portraits carry a weight, they are seen as markers of respect"

October 22, 2014 2:08 PM

South African artist and activist Gabrielle Le Roux is in San Francisco for the first time to show the "Proudly African & Transgender" portrait and story series she co-created with trans* activists from Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya in 2008, together with a selection of portraits from the "Proudly Trans* in Turkey" collaboration with eighteen trans* activists from across Turkey. The portraits and stories will show at the SF LGBT Center at the invitation of the Queer Cultural Center and SFSU Sociology Dept. Galería de La Raza will be showing the 18 part video installation of the Proudly Trans* in Turkey exhibition, through which trans* activists from across Turkey explore the issues they want to discuss on film.

Interview with Le Roux in Mission Local.
Buzzfeed article: South African Artist Brings Her Collaborative Portraits Of Trans People To The Americas For The First Time
A previous exhibit: "Living Ancestors" of Dominica. More information, including images (PDF).

Useful resources for participating in the discussion: Ohio U's Trans 101* : Primer and Vocabulary guide; GLAAD's Transgender Media and Education Program

posted by Lexica (3 comments total)

I will go see these! Thank you!
posted by rtha at 3:32 PM on October 22, 2014

Very cool!
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 10:59 PM on October 22, 2014

People dealing with identity issues have special challenges in a region where old fears persist. Art can be a gentle way of suggesting alternative ways of thinking, and it's heartening to see it used here. Good post.
posted by kinnakeet at 5:17 AM on October 23, 2014