Archive for the ‘Political Art’ Category
Wednesday, June 14th, 2006
Our art matters, right?
I think it does. Which is why I started Homofactus Press. I just got sick of not seeing books I wanted to read, so I decided to create the books instead. Easier than bitching that Random House [1], or Alyson [2] doesn't do it for me, right?
Homofactus Press [3] relies on great writers and great readers for its success. In return, I give my writers great royalties (gross not net), so I can actually create - in some small way - the circumstances that allow trans and queer artists to make a living from their art. Fucking shocking, I know. Particularly for the Arts Hating America.
For my readers, I have wanted to create circumstances where you are involved deeply in our cultural creations. How many times have you read a book that moved you (you loved it, hated it, found a typo, a historical error) and wanted to say something to the author or publisher, but couldn't?
Welcome to Homofactus Press [3], where you can say something. As often as you like, too.
In order to give you, dear readers, a better idea about what I'm doing with Homofactus Press, I'm giving out free samples of Self-Organizing Men [5].
(Free Book Cover Shot Here! [6])
Anybody want a chance to read/review an article or two or three that will appear in the anthology? Then you can find out what the whole "our art matters" schtick means first hand.
Three things are needed. The fourth is voluntary.
1. You have to be a blogger at least 18 years of age with a regularly updated blog at least 3 months old.
2. You send me an email (jay at jaysennett dot com) with the words "Participatory Art Experience 6669" in the title (the "6669" number makes it easier to keep track of the e-mails and makes them harder to get lost etc.). Please include your full name, a statement attesting to your age, date of birth and your blog URL.
3. Please read the article(s). If you find any typos, etc., let me know by email or blog post.
4. Then, if you want - and only if you want to - blog about what you've read, what you think, like, don't like. Just say it on your blog. Then send a link/trackback here [7].
You're under no obligation to blog about what you read of course. I just think making it "Bloggers Only" destroys mainstream publishers' ideas about how books sell.
If we know what we want and need in the arts why turn over critical review to somebody with an axe to grind? To somebody who thinks we're born in the wrong bodies, that we're exotic, unusual, or superhuman? To somebody who answers to an editor who answers to advertisers?
I would love it if this "blogvertising" works. But of course, I can't do it alone; I need the complicity of other bloggers. What if, say, not one or two of you end up blogging about it, but a couple of dozen? What will be the rippling effect?
Arts started out being made by the people, for the people. After all, there were'nt any art critics, or galleries or publishers in Lascaux, France.
HfP books will sell because of you lovely readers and bloggers. Share your honesty. And if we're lucky enough, maybe you'll share your love, too.
It'll be interesting to hear what the blogosphere has to say. I hope to hear from you. Thanks again.
[1] http://www.jaysennett.com/cgi-bin/mt/www.randomhouse.com
[2] http://www.jaysennett.com/cgi-bin/mt/www.alyson.com
[3] http://www.homofactuspress.com/
[4] http://www.homofactuspress.com/
[5] http://www.homofactuspress.com/2006/06/self_organizing_men_contributo.htm
[6] http://www.adventuresinboyhood.com/whensitting.html
[7] http://www.homofactuspress.com/2006/06/participatory_art_experience_6.htm
Posted in Features, Political Art | 7 Comments »
Friday, May 13th, 2005
[1]
Wil Dunham was born and raised in the Midwest and has been living outside D.C. for the past three years.
"I'm moving on to Richmond, Virginia for a bit, then out to travel for a year or so to work on a book project. I'm 47 (until this fall), and am almost 2 years into my transition and pre-operative due to financial constraints and lack of insurance. Surgery will be self-funded, unless I hit the lottery.
I've been self-employed off and on as a handyman and have worked at a good number of other occupations. My love, my passion is photography.
I'm about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime...living a free rambling life and working as an artist. I have 3 series of cards due to come out shortly. I've been accepted into a national juried show for next year, and I have several artistic photo projects in the planning stage. I'll spend the next year or so travelling the U.S. and Canada, interviewing and photographing queers for a book about being 'Everyday Queer'.
It's my hope that by showing the commonality of the human condition across race, gender, class and orientation, it may serve to move us forward on the road to equal citizenship." See Wil's work [2].
What is the most marked characteristic of masculinity that surprised you?
The changes to my face...my head looks square and I look like another version of the me I've known all these years.
What is the quality you most like in being a man?
Finally being taken seriously.
What do you most value being a man?
The inner peace I've found and the extended life expectancy.
What is a characteristic of masculinity that appalls/disgusts etc?
My own masculinity? I'm fine with it. The masculinity of others? The posturing and machismo. It's so unnecessary.
What is it that you most dislike about being a man?
Realizing that I can be accused of a myriad of things that never occurred to me before.
What is it that you most like about being a man?
Again, the inner peace and finally having recognition of my skills and abilities. (Even though they were the same pre-transition.)
What are three things you want to share with nontrans (natal) men about what you've learned as a man about being a man?
Women are not the adversary.
Kindness, compassion, and tenderness are not your enemy, nor are they a sign of weakness.
We are not the center of the universe
What advice would you give to a man just starting hormones?
Nothing is instant. Relax and enjoy the ride. Even if it seems a little scary or weird in your head...chances are it's been the same for others. Look to your trans brothers for advice and just the sense of not being alone.
What is your motto?
Life is too brief not to live your dreams.
Boxers, briefs or commando?
Depends on where i'm at and what i'm doing.
[1] http://jaysennett.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/485goofball.jpg
[2] http://www.wildun.com/
Posted in Political Art, Self-Organizing Men | 3 Comments »
Thursday, May 12th, 2005
Once again, Blue, over at The Gimp Parade [1] rocks my world. I love Blue's writing. She is my latest intellectual crush, or, should I say my intellecutality is most definitely poly!
In a short, incisive piece on Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code, Blue writes:
Well, actually, the villain isn't disabled so much as "crippled." Crippled. Crippled. Did I mention he is crippled? Well, Brown does. Over and over and over as Mr. Crippled Secret Villain limps around and other characters comment on the fact that he is crippled. This is to make sure that the densest reader understands that twisted on the outside means twisted on the inside. Why is he a villain? Because he's crippled and that can drive a person to be not nice.It turns out that Mr. Limpy also has a henchman who is albino. Physically different means evil, remember. As so often happens, disability is used as metaphor for something else and not left to exist as a natural part of a character on it's own.
Her description of the evil nature of crippled people as depicted in Brown's work (and other works in popular culture) resonates with me as a transsexual. Silence of the Lambs. Dressed to Kill.
[1] http://thegimpparade.blogspot.com/
Posted in Political Art | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, April 27th, 2005
My pal, Andy, from Spicy Cauldron [1], shared some wisdom with me about blogging and writing and story telling.
Blogging, for me, is experience, discipline, freedom, practice,
reinforcement and reassurance - when I see what I've written, now an
impressively large body of work I hope, I feel that maybe one day I will
write that novel, I will get that poetry collection published. Ultimately,
though, writing is it's own incentive. I sometimes wonder if writing is
simply the most commonly exhibited form of autistic behaviour when it's a
novelist or poet over someone who just writes occasionally. For me, it's a
blood thing. I am a slave to the letters. The thing I say to anyone who asks
me, though, how I write, is this: everyone has experiences and stories,
emotions and opinions, inside them. If you want to write, you write. You
don't waste time worrying about what's going to happen once it's over. Just enjoy the ride. (Emphasis mine)
Writing while solitary in its execution, is in so many wonderful ways, communal. Thanks Andy for sharing your experiences with me. Please, everyone, check out Andy's blog. Very spirited, intelligent, wry, compassionate.
[1] http://www.spicycauldron.blogspot.com/
Posted in Political Art, The Good Life | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, April 20th, 2005
Last night I shared my irritation with Ms. Nunes' post [1] to this blog with my wife, the divine Ms. H.
"I got my first phobic post yesterday," I said.
"From who?"
"Someone I've never heard of!"
She smiled and clapped her hands. "Yeahhh!!! That means someone besides your friends are reading your blog!"
She makes an excellent point. She or he who laughs lasts. (and there's no such thing as bad publicity.)
[1] http://jaysennett.typepad.com/jay_sennetts_blog/2005/04/speed.html#comments
Posted in Political Art | 4 Comments »
Friday, March 25th, 2005
I realize it is easier for me to be transsexual than to be a writer.
Posted in Political Art, Self-Organizing Men | 8 Comments »
Thursday, March 24th, 2005
This guy [1] is right on the mark.
I know it can't be easy having to regularly fill in insurance forms for people. When it comes to insurers' questions, they ask a lot of crap - sometimes they literally ask about crap.
Insurance bureaucracy may be intractable in the lives of people with disabilities and transsexuals.
The answer? Humor. A skill I'm learning about. Mine only run the gamut from run the gamut from rage to beating my head against the wall.
Others of you have coping skills you'd care to share?
[1] http://spicycauldron.blogspot.com/2005/02/grant-me-comedy-as-weapon-or-bring-me.html
Posted in Political Art | 3 Comments »
Thursday, March 24th, 2005
Check out this photoblog [1]
Wil's work represents one of the coolest features of the web. The ability to present artistic work 24/7, at no cost to the viewer. Then, best of all, we get to chat about it!
For queer/freaky artists, the internet is a wonderful, exciting tool. With no censorships or middlebabe broker types, we are free to let our imaginations roam.
Please add Wil's blog to your Favs list. If you don't, you may be sorry! ;-)
[1] http://www.wildun.com/
Posted in Political Art | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2005
Jen Burke [1] writes in her blog on Boys Don't Cry [2]:
"Do (should) they [artists] have a burden of being "responsible" for a certain presentation? Which one? The most inclusive or representative somehow? How can that be determined as trans people and their allies tend to be one of the most varied groups of which I've ever identified? Do artists become automatic political pundits? Is there any way that a filmmaker or fiction writer can say, "I am not political in my work?"
....Do I have these answers? Nope, but asking the questions is part of getting there.
I don't deny the power that creative people have to shape the perceptions of others, particularly the mainstream public who may or may not know a thing about gender-variant people. I don't deny that power, but I question which political and ultimately "moral imperatives" we should apply to them and their work."
She raises excellent questions, ones I have been struggling with for years. I conclude that any representations of trans/TG/TS cultures are political. We are not value neutral people in the way Paris Hilton is.
Why are we so afraid to have our art called political? If politics is about storytelling then how can describing the conditions of our life be bad?
[1] http://www.jenburke.com/
[2] http://www.jenburke.com/2005/03/another-take-on-boys-dont-cry.html
Posted in Political Art | 4 Comments »
