The impetus for the Butch Heroes series was curiosity. I had a desire to find out how queer people survived throughout history—specifically, how I would have survived. Obviously, this is a futile question. There is, of course, no way for…
Catholic holy cards are cherished objects. I chose to use the format and style of the holy card for my Butch Heroes series because of their connection to my personal history. Even though I’m not a Catholic any longer, I…
LGBTQIA terms have always been complicated for me, primarily because their meaning and usage can change over time (both on a personal level and in the larger LGBTQIA community). And, some terms conflate gender and sexuality. Thankfully, new terms emerge…
Big Red & Shiny is pleased to welcome Boston-based artist Ria Brodell to our residency series, Inside/Out. Brodell’s painstakingly rendered gouache paintings depict pre-twentieth-century historical figures who strayed outside their assigned gender and sought alternative ways of living. “Butch Heroes” memorializes their…