Before we begin - an important note on the contents of this exhibition: Some of the pieces contain nudity and we have chosen not to censor this. Other pieces deal with, challenge or respond to gender dysphoria, oppression, trauma, transphobia, and blood. Disclaimer: The artists work and their description of their work appears exactly as written, therefore there is some language that some people might find triggering.
We are aware that engaging with these pieces, especially on Trans Awareness Week, may be difficult for some Trans+ people. Please feel welcome to consult our Wellbeing resource page should you require support.
Welcome to our second online art exhibition that celebrates 42 incredibly talented Trans+ artists based in the United Kingdom and beyond.
Transgender Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.
(GLAAD, Trans Awareness Week, 2021).
Existing in this point in time, it is essential that we centre and celebrate Trans+ joy, creation and brilliance. And so we have invited Trans+ artists across the United Kingdom to submit their art, poetry, photography, and dance that they felt aligned with this year’s theme of Trans celebration and joy. The result is unimaginably powerful.
To everyone who has submitted: This exhibition would not exist without you, and we are honoured to share and promote your work with our networks.
This exhibition is a love letter to the joy, strength and resistance that the Trans+ community holds. Please go read it, and share it far and wide.
BOYTITS is a celebration of transmasc chests, reclaiming our bodies free from censorship and transmedicalism, it is a series worshipping chests in every form.
By BUNNYTEEF, BOYTITS, 2022
For me, my chest is a symbol of my self love journey. I used to not be able to look down when I was naked, now I celebrate the vessel I was gifted by mother nature to carry around my soul. My work as Bunnyteef helps me feel safe and validated and I have never felt more content and happy surrounded by other joyful transsexuals.
IG: @8unnyteef
Jak Loftus-Bulley, Safe Haven
4 November 2022
He/they
My pen drawing titled ‘safe haven’ connects to celebration as is my depiction of my trans friends standing by me. I met all these friends when I came out as trans , and the support they bring is worth celebrating. Being able to be ourselves , and be loved unconditionally is worth celebrating. That’s what I’ve found in this community.
FB: @GLLoftusPhotography
Oscar Sharples, he/they
Instagram / Etsy: @tortoisemonsterart
I use my art to talk about my experience as a trans autistic person of colour. I want to celebrate my identity and my community through my art. My queer joy project has given me the opportunity to work with many queer people and give them the ability to share their story with queer joy.
Pol, Sunflower Reversed, Sept 22
they/them
This is a portrait of my best friend. The first person I already knew, who I was openly queer with. In doing so this deepened our relationship and afforded me the space to explore being Non Binary without judgement or fear of criticism.
Sara, they/them
IG: @ohfeelingsmonster
I attended a series of 'queer joy' workshops held by queerdisrupt.
We discussed queer joy & the celebration of queerness,
but we ultimately concluded that all feelings are welcome because feelings are rainbow spectrum too.
From this my project 'ohfeelingsmonster' was born.
My goal is to post once a day for 365 days.
Sonny Walker, "Trens(cendence)" 2022.
Featuring artwork by Paul Regnard, "Hysteria and Somnambulism", 1884.
they/them
My poem, while short, is a celebration of trans bodies as divine; bodies that do not conform to cis standards of beauty, are incomprehensible and therefore closer to God. Featuring a drawing by the late Paul Regnard titled "Hysteria and Somnambulism" from "Les Maladies Epidemiques de l'Esprit." I wanted to challenge the popular notion that transness is a sickness of the mind; instead, it is a form of ascendency of the spirit.
IG: @peachrots
Alder James,
To Love My Trans Body - 2022
He/him
to love my trans body is an act of defiance
an act of rebellion
an act of political dissent
an act against cisnormativity and the binary
to love my trans body is an act of healing
an act of recovery
an act of connection
an act of pure, unfiltered, explicit love
to love my trans body is to finally be at home
after a long time away
My art ranges from sfw to nsfw/suggestive and I am also a poet/writer. My work features trans sexuality, navigating trauma and joy as a trans person, and what it means to love your trans body in all its wholeness in pre, post and non op situations.
Instagram/Twitter: @transmonstera
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
Arlo Lawton (AJ’s Lens), Self Made, 2022
they/he
Self Made is a photographic project, which celebrates gender euphoria. The project explores themes of growth, love and perception.
This segment includes self-portraits of the body, focusing on the healing of a double mastectomy with nipple grafts.
Images also detail some of the physical changes that taking Hormone Replacements (HRT) can create.
It is to note. that not all transgender people medically transition. All trans people are vital and valid.
IG: @ajslens
Grayson Cooper, he/him/they
@astroidart
"God made me transexual for the same reason he made wheat but not bread & fruit but not wine so that humanity may share in the act of creation".
I am a trans masculine illustrator who makes work around the theme of trans joy and strive to depict the diversity and joy of the trans community.
aristhought
he/him
IG: @aristhoughtart
Every trans person getting up each day, surviving, living, thriving, is a great revolutionary and celebratory act.
Although there is no shortage of the hardships and the struggles that come along with trans existence, it is meaningful for me to portray something equally as significant - a simple yet important sense of hope and strength that comes with just being here. That is reason enough for celebration.
The Hope of Just Being, aristhought, April 2022
A body to Love,
aristhought, June 2021
Resilience,
aristhought, April 2020
Dreaming of Lighter Days,
aristhought, June 2021
Revolution performed by Iridescence Dance.
Music: Bishop Briggs - Revolution
Visuals: Mr Visualiser
2022
IG: @iridescencedanceclasses
Iridescence Dance is a community, inclusive, contemporary dance group for LGBTQ+ people. Its goal is to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ people to explore dance and their creativity, regardless of their previous dance experience and ability.
We want to make dance accessible, affordable and welcoming for gender non-conforming people and neuro non-conforming people because the dance industry as a whole has still a long way to go to beat the restriction and harm it has been putting on the shoulders of queer-identifying people, especially gender non-conforming ones.
"Revolution" by Iridescence dance was created by three non-binary people. It was our first performative project which we did as a Halloween celebration. We wanted to channel our joy and power in being Queer and being outside of the gender binary. Within the Halloween aesthetic, we wanted to create an image which makes us feel gender euphoria, and beautiful and strong in our own ways.
Thomas Max McGuire, he/him
I’m Trans - A Zine
6th of May 2022
IG: @heyhowdyart
Website: heyhowdyart.com
These comics are from, I'm Trans - A Zine, a project I completed this year. It’s been displayed at my university's graduation exhibition and at the Glitter in My Wounds exhibition at Metropolis Contemporary in Brighton. It tells the story of the trans experience through panel comics based off the real lives of myself and my transgender friends. My only goal with this zine was to be honest about the trans experience without being entirely pessimistic. I’ve had issues since coming out, as have my peers, but the best parts of being trans are wonderful, humours and all about community.
@regretgoblin, Venus Verticordia, 2022
he/him
Trans bodies, gender nonconformity, and queerness are often portrayed through the lens of cis fear - it's time to give trans artists the spotlight, to celebrate the innate beauty of transness. To be trans is to create yourself - to be trans is to be divine!
IG: @regretgoblin
All links: www.regretgoblin.carrd.co
Ambrosia Bajtek,
True colors. Let's never forget,
November 2022.
she/her
My name is Ambrosia, a young trans woman. Living in England for the last couple of years, originally coming from Slovakia. Unfortunately my home country is not the only place where they want to eradicate basic human rights.
Threats, attacks and murders towards the LGBTQIA+ community worldwide are like a virus. We have to keep fighting and strive in our life to cure this hatred. Love and safety for everyone. This embroidery represents a candle burning in the colours of the trans flag, and also a mini rainbow in colours of the trans flag. Material is a pear leaf.
A.S
Transformation and self-acceptance
20th August 2022
he/him
Twitter: @colour_shadows
My character's story revolves around coming to terms with being "different", and accepting who he is. This character represents my ongoing transition, and being proud and true to who I am.
When I finally got all the outfit together, I knew I had to have him hold a trans flag, because it mirrors his journey of celebrating the true self.
Eli Hayter (Eli illustrates)
Trans existence is nature and earth 10/11/2022
they/them
IG: @eli_illustrates
As a non binary person in this current society, its hard to feel positive about my trans identity. But then I look at myself... And not the world, but the earth around me and realise my trans existence is as natural as flowers and the sun. The self portrait oil painting is adorned with hand pressed flowers collected at a sunflower field.
This is a piece about love and is a gift to myself.
Isaac, Trans Joy,
3/11/2022-10/11/2022
he/it
IG: @d1saster_artist
This piece represents a trans woman learning how to do a high ponytail. It reminds all of us how being ourselves comes with little things such as this, how you learn to do your hair since you never got a chance as a kid and how much joy we get from those little things that makes us feel our truest self.
LemonsAndTeeth,
Wandering Hands, 03.05.2022
he/him
IG: @_lemonsandteeth_
Tiktok: @lemonsandteeth
My art celebrates trans joy in a somber way, I like to say it celebrates the past and the future for trans people whilst also expressing the struggles we are put through.
Joe Fear, Trans Icon, 2018
he/him
IG: @joefearillustration
With this early fine line drawing I wanted to celebrate and centre a trans body as a classical, idealised icon through revisiting an art form with strong depictions of LGBTQ+ figures in mythology.
Joseph Simpson, Bite Back, 20.10.2022
he/him
IG: @joehsimpson @ratking1997
Although this piece does not directly represent my experience as a trans person, it represents the anger I was feeling towards the current transphobia posted daily online.
to.fiki, b00bless
they/them
IG: @to.fiki
I am an enby from Greece, creating some random kid drawings that reflect my feelings and my random thoughts.
Ophelia Le Fay, Transcendere
08/15/2022
(thon)
My art does not usually depict transness in its happiest state. However, this piece is quite personal. I created this piece as a form of reassurance of my own transness, as I often suffer from imposter syndrome. In the month of March it was rather severe. That month was when the idea of “Transcendere” was born, and was a work in progress until August.
Robin, Trans Solidarity, 2020
they/them, ze/zir
IG: @robyngstw
"Trans Solidarity" (2020) is a piece about celebrating solidarity between trans people but also trans people and the wider LGBTQ+ community. Without solidarity between each other, we cannot have celebration and pride.
The piece itself is simply made out of separate hand-drawn pieces, cut out and then layered on top of one another. It features two faceless figures with the pink triangle featured in the background as a way to allow the viewer to identify with the piece in their own way.
Not Your Kintsugi Metaphor,
S.M. Caulfield, July 2022
they/them
IG: @schrodingers_nya
Kintsugi is a Japanese artistic process of repairing broken ceramic with gold. It's often used as a metaphor for recovery. However, I don’t view myself as something that’s been broken, and I taught myself the gold foiling technique to use it here for the first time. Reflecting later, I realised the image was not one of pure anger, but of gold, light, and repair - perhaps how the original metaphor is actually intended. Now, this painting is one of pride and celebration: the potential of learning and self-protection, even in despair; that joy can co-exist with, be nurtured by, and defy.
Leo Lincoln
IG: @bedhead.ren
This is an illustration of one of my happiest memories, waking up from my top surgery. Despite the physical and mental pain of it, it was one of the most relieving moments of my life and since then I’ve been truly connect to who I am, my gender, my entire being, it all finally felt correct.
Emory, A Power, 2022
he/they
IG: @emoryartmodel
Twitter: @ba_southwick
This piece is celebrating life and the power one can feel through the prospect of possibility. It is about love and light and life.
Ocean, he/they
Mr Leo Mateus Art
Trans Joy is Magic
10/09/21
IG: @mrleomateusart
Often we, as trans people, are told to accept the bare minimum of acceptance and be eternally grateful for every ounce of support (even if it's the same level of support cis people get and have never had to voice their gratitude for).
While basic support can be the start to equality, we need to go further and push for trans people to thrive. My work centres the empowerment of trans people and embraces us as a community. This print says "Trans Joy is Magic" and is surrounded by flowers.
Crash King
TRANS FORM, 2021
he/him
IG: @crashcantdraw
“TRANS FORM” was written with the intention of celebrating trans identities, by documenting historical figures and contemporaries, and creating affirming answers to the questions we ask ourselves.
The book includes 100 illustrated pages, covering a handful of trans lives through biographies and comics.
Izzy Treyvaud, they/he
IG: @unhingedstudio
Over lockdown, I had access to queer friendly drawing groups. It meant a lot to me to be able to finally draw trans* bodies in a life drawing class. It also inspired me to open up and do life modelling myself in queer and even non queer spaces to perpetuate more visibility in the drawing community. The lino prints I have done celebrate these moments.
Noah Dodikhudo Keenan, he/it
IG: @m.c.boyboy
Celebrating odd freaky deaky art by throwing it out into the open and letting anyone have a look at it.
Down with censorship we all got genitals. I draw whatever comes to mind and hope people enjoy viewing it as much as I enjoy creating it.
Trans Joy is Resistance is a reminder that my joy and ability to love my trans body is actively resisting the forces put against me. My joy for life will not falter just because society is actively trying to push me out. Being Trans is a beautiful experience and I am grateful every day to be a Trans person. I want the world to know that being Trans is not the problem, it is the way we dehumanize trans people that is the problem. Trans people have always been around and we aren't going anywhere.
Miranda Leaptrott, they/she
IG: @miraleaps
This is a work I did to evoke a divine image of a person with my kind of body.
I make art based on some medieval illumination techniques. I've started combining these with modern pride flags, and other quotes, words, etc., to bring that focus and intention to highlight the beauty to things that help me.
Izabella Balcer, Poppies Out of Place, Newspaper and Bamboo, 2022.
They/Them/Their
IG: @izzy_lawizzy
Poppies Out of Place signifies the contradiction of my Polish and Trans-Nonbinary identities. Both of which hold significance in my heart, but do not safely coexist. As I develop my Queer identity, the possibility of acceptance diminishes in my Polish roots as the country’s government continues to ostracize LGBTQ+ people in the name of Fascist Catholicism.
My artwork is a promise to myself, my ancestors, and other Polish Queer people that we are human, worthy, and divine.
Our poppies will continue to grow in the rolling hills, as they have for all of time.
Reni Adeb, Wearing my big coat, 2022
they/them
IG: @reniadeb / @wearingmybigcoat
Twitter: @reniadeb / @mybigcoat
As someone who thinks much too much about everything, I love how silly, strong affirmations surface from the jumble of rocks in my head. By turning these mind mantras into cool posters to share on the internet, I'm accepting where I'm at, celebrating my identity of who I am and who I would like to be.
Clutter Malarkey (he/they) & Salazar Sparks (they/he)
birthday boy, 11/11/2022
IG: @cluttermalarkey / @salazar_sparks
birthday boy is a photo series exploring the bittersweet farce of celebrations in the lifetimes of trans people, by playfully subverting the arbitrary aesthetics of birthdays through the medium of drag.
Alex Costin
Trans people are here to stay
July 2022
he/they
IG: @alexcostinphotography
My photography often focuses on celebrating life and being trans. I celebrate the unpredictability of life and the small wins.
Trans people are here to stay was made in direct protest to anyone who says we are a fad and celebrates trans people's existence. Trans people have and always will exist and no one can take that away.
She’s trying her hardest, honest.
By Bug Shepherd-Barron, 29/10/22
she/they
IG: @bugbites0.0
I play with messy materials such as ink or spray paint to unwind. Mindlessly mark-making, grubbing up my fingers and pressing into the paper.
Then I draw on top of the marks, this one unintentionally became a self-portrait. A self I will become as I transition.
She may have been fragmented, possibly hurt, but now stands beautifully whole. Unafraid to look towards what she wants.
Yishay Garbasz. Becoming, 2008-2010
Photos, steel, makrolon, motor, light, wood, foil, cloth, 300cm width. 230cm high (Zoetrope)
She/her
Installation process of becoming for the busan biennale in 2010.
I was born a woman. I am a woman now. I will die a woman. On November 18, 2008, I had gender clarification surgery.
For one year before and one year after, I took pictures of myself every week to document the subtle changes my body underwent. In total there are 1886 pictures. Only 32 have been selected for the zoetrope. Each photo is a building block. Their meaning is cumulative and at the same time presenting this in the Busan Biennale was an historic achievement. This was the second largest zoetrope in the world, over two meters high and 3 meters wide. Half a ton of steel, 250 kg of which travel at 11 km/h to produce animation as our eyes need to see 12 frames per second to form animation. I selected the form of zoetrope and flip book in order to avoid the contexts that projected image have in our society. I was also honoured to be awarded Berlin women film maker for the year 2010 for this historic project.
Website: www.yishay.com
Leo Kirkpatrick, he/they
IG: @leo.k.photography
Outside of being Communications Officer for Consortium, in my spare time I love drawing and making trans art.
My art mostly focuses on trans bodies, particularly plus-size trans bodies as they are often not represented enough. I make my art digitally by using Procreate. I like "fantasy" imagery as an allegory for being trans as I didn't see myself in the media when I was growing up.
Leo Kirkpatrick.
Strength in the Depths,
November 2022
Strength in the Depths is a self-portrait and encapsulates the strength that I've built up even when surrounded by darkness (the depths). The subject is wearing the trans and non-binary flags to represent my identities, I identify as non-binary trans masculine and I feel so at home within myself and within those identities.
Leo Kirkpatrick.
Like a Rhinestone Trans boy
June 2022
This piece is a humorous take on the "Like a Rhinestone Cowboy" song by Glen Campbell. I feel a deep connection to the characterisation of trans people as cowboys and other outlaws from society. In being seen as deviant there is room to create our own society outside of the binary.
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