I am creating a full documentation of the process Chella Man, my partner, is currently experiencing. They are a genderqueer individual, transitioning on testosterone to gain a more masculine appearance. I have been focusing on capturing major moments in a collection of photos and letters to them.
The letters show my perspective of the process. They contrast with the moments depicted in the photographs by enabling the viewer to access my perspective of the transition; however, they also connect the viewer to the photos by adding my personal narrations.
I chose letters to better capture my memories of these significant moments because anytime I felt a pull to document my thoughts, I just pulled out a pen and paper. In the end, this will leave me with a plethora of letters. I will choose the best fit photos and letters to showcase how my emotions have changed over this transitional process.
This project plays with the dichotomy of verbal and visual art. My perspective is verbal, while Chella’s is visual. Our emotions are intertwined between both mediums and come together throughout Chella’s transition to create the final piece. This documentation is perpetual; my only end goal is to have the public and Chella see this beautiful process through my eyes, as I am the person in love with Chella.
Richelle Chen
Ambar Navarro
Gabrielle DeCaro
Marian McColm