"LABELS" - quicktime movie - SPARK PHOTO FESTIVAL - April 2015

I have found myself to be labelled time and time again by others who sought to hurt me, control me, demean me, as well as  by those who tried to put a handle or a name of who I was. Parents and classmates were a steady source of labels or nicknames. 

I originally set up this photographic collection, "Labels",  to represent how people can viewed differently when the same person ( and photo thereof) had a different label. And if so, did the subject of the photo feel any different.

I had difficulty rounding up a number of participants so I turned the imagery back onto myself and went through the "selfie" pix from my macintosh computer "photo booth" application.  I had scores of pix of me taken over the last seven years.

My parents were quite cruel and harsh when commenting on the physical appearance of their children. "Why do you make yourself look so ugly?" was a frequent comment from my Mother. 

A side shoot off was that was the need to check my appearance on a regular basis and see if I was presentable to the world. Even, if not to my Mother.

 "'LABELS"

“The labels we put on ourselves, as well as the ones that society puts on us, can limit our personal sense of well-being and self-worth and creative potential.”

This project is primarily made up of  “selfies” using my Mac computer’s app Photo Booth.


Enjoy.

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Here is some background on when the photos were taken - thoughts - locations - etc. And that can contrast with the imagery it invokes to the viewer. As well as the juxtaposition to the previous image.

The labels are:
- a memory  - a regular photo of me in front of my home in Toronto - I lived there from 1981 - 2006.
- bad ass - trying to look tough
- boy  - pix of me in Fenelon Falls - I was in full gay gainer phase - 265# - big = masculine
- butch - me at The Barracks Gay SMBD Bath House in 2005
- wifebeater - just deep in thought wearing a wifebeater a-shirt
 - cancer came back - had prostate cancer surgery in 2009 and it came backi in 2013
- in remission - had radiation treatments in 2013 - declared in remission again in 2014
- impotent - not dealing well with side effects of surgery and radiation treatments
- empty - how I feel at times
- masculine - my first summer in Peterborough working at a garden centre
- femme - accepting the softer side of me
- Bronson - me as I tried to present myself to the world
- Bunny - as I am
- sane - staged shot for artist brochure
- insane - use of red henna dye on hair to mimick buddy's masculine look
- straight - some people still think I am straight since I don't act gay to them
- bisexual - some people think I am attracted to everyone
- gay -having fun with facial hair
- queer - been called that for decards - I own it now
- faggot - been called that for decades - I own it now
- non-binary - deciding what to do with the red henna hair
- on the fence - keep or shave off goatee and moustache
- sexy - feeling sexy that day
- sick - someone very close to me said I was sick having painted nails
- suicidal - I hid it well - didn't I?
- self-portrait - painting for fundraiser for assisted housing
- happy- just plain me

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This is a quicktime movie of the photographic images that will be on display for the month of April 2014 at the This and That Shop - Gallery, as part of the SPARK PHOTO FESTIVAL 2015 in Peterborough, Ontario.

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PLEASE NOTE: I  have launched a new Fundanything.com campaign to help my finances get through a rough stretch & possibly find a buyer / donator for the "radiation series" paintings. 

Please check out my campaign and if possible, contribute, or share it with someone who can. 

Thank you.

http://fundanything.com/en/campaigns/reducing-debt-load-projects-to-help-marginal-gay-trans-youth

 

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