32 in Queer Years

As a queer person, I wasn’t afforded the opportunity to explore my spirituality without shame, banishment, and fear. Nor did I have accessible mentors to guide me in queer spaces and etiquette, which meant that my explorations of cruising during my early adulthood put me in constant danger. As I uncover my pre-Christian Slavic Ancestry, I am connecting to spiritual symbols that hold ancient magic and influence my art practice. In this triptych, the exploration of my queer journey is reflected on. The white jockstrap is embroidered with a Zori (Morning Star), which was utilized to provide protection from harm for the wearer; this is meant to allude to my youth in navigating queer spaces and the promise of safe passage. The black jockstrap is embroidered with a Kryvi Tanets (Meandering Line), which traps negative forces from entering the wearers body; I see this as representative of my current stage of adult life in nurturing queer joy. The grey jockstrap is embroidered with a Khvylyasti Liniyi (Wavy Lines) which cultivates longevity; due to the loss of a generation I don't have a template for the aging process as a queer man.