One Land To Another: Gary Xuguanyu
SS
Can you tell us a little about One Land To Another and how the project came about?
GX
In this long-term project, I present my personal journey in the United States in the form of a half-documentary/ half-fictionalised narrative that examines the intersectionality of race, sexuality, and citizenship. I splice American landscapes with self-portraits depicting intimate acts with other gay men. These constellations of photographs not only express alternative ways of gay male intimacy, but also interweave with my transnational way of seeing.
The presence of my Asian body disrupts the dominance of queer aesthetics which privilege a narrow, 'white', masculine homonormativity. My confrontation and exploration allow a diverse representation that is usually underrepresented. I have finished shooting in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Ultimately, the project will explore different cities in the US and it will offer representations of gay men that are seldom found in the mainstream.
The presence of my Asian body disrupts the dominance of queer aesthetics which privilege a narrow, 'white', masculine homonormativity. My confrontation and exploration allow a diverse representation that is usually underrepresented. I have finished shooting in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Ultimately, the project will explore different cities in the US and it will offer representations of gay men that are seldom found in the mainstream.
SS
What was it like growing up queer in Beijing? Has this experience shaped your art practice in any way?
GX
I was only able to start accepting who I was when I came to the US at age 21 and started a new life. Before that, I always pretended that I was straight. Meanwhile, I watched many Hollywood movies and collected lots of film magazines as well as fashion ones. It formed my idea of beauty and desirability, which all broke down when I finally arrived in the US.
SS
What was the process of creating One Land To Another? Did you have a clear image of what you wanted the project to look like?
GX
No. It’s always contingent and improvised. I reach out to many people in apps like Grindr and tell them I want to shoot a portrait together. Then I go to their house and figure out the details of the shoot.
SS
Can you tell me a little about your subject matters?
GX
In this portrait series, the people I met are all contingent and different. The more I make new portraits the more I realise this - how we are so different but the camera can bring us together for a short moment. But somehow they all accept my existence as a Chinese gay man, whether because of fetishisation, desire, kindness, or curiosity.
SS
Is this project ongoing?
GX
It is. After producing images in Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, I am looking to extend the geography of my project and bring new perspectives that stem from cultural and economic differences. It is crucial for me to explore how Asian and gay representation is perceived and constructed within this cultural and geographical domain.
One Land To Another: Gary Xuguanyu
SS
Can you tell us a little about One Land To Another and how the project came about?
GX
In this long-term project, I present my personal journey in the United States in the form of a half-documentary/ half-fictionalised narrative that examines the intersectionality of race, sexuality, and citizenship. I splice American landscapes with self-portraits depicting intimate acts with other gay men. These constellations of photographs not only express alternative ways of gay male intimacy, but also interweave with my transnational way of seeing.
The presence of my Asian body disrupts the dominance of queer aesthetics which privilege a narrow, 'white', masculine homonormativity. My confrontation and exploration allow a diverse representation that is usually underrepresented. I have finished shooting in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Ultimately, the project will explore different cities in the US and it will offer representations of gay men that are seldom found in the mainstream.
The presence of my Asian body disrupts the dominance of queer aesthetics which privilege a narrow, 'white', masculine homonormativity. My confrontation and exploration allow a diverse representation that is usually underrepresented. I have finished shooting in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Ultimately, the project will explore different cities in the US and it will offer representations of gay men that are seldom found in the mainstream.
SS
What was it like growing up queer in Beijing? Has this experience shaped your art practice in any way?
GX
I was only able to start accepting who I was when I came to the US at age 21 and started a new life. Before that, I always pretended that I was straight. Meanwhile, I watched many Hollywood movies and collected lots of film magazines as well as fashion ones. It formed my idea of beauty and desirability, which all broke down when I finally arrived in the US.
SS
What was the process of creating One Land To Another? Did you have a clear image of what you wanted the project to look like?
GX
No. It’s always contingent and improvised. I reach out to many people in apps like Grindr and tell them I want to shoot a portrait together. Then I go to their house and figure out the details of the shoot.
SS
Can you tell me a little about your subject matters?
GX
In this portrait series, the people I met are all contingent and different. The more I make new portraits the more I realise this - how we are so different but the camera can bring us together for a short moment. But somehow they all accept my existence as a Chinese gay man, whether because of fetishisation, desire, kindness, or curiosity.
SS
Is this project ongoing?
GX
It is. After producing images in Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, I am looking to extend the geography of my project and bring new perspectives that stem from cultural and economic differences. It is crucial for me to explore how Asian and gay representation is perceived and constructed within this cultural and geographical domain.