Quiet Queers
Community Art Project
Background
Countering Java’s modest culture, queerness is often linked to a HIGH-ENERGY, LOUD, EXAGGERATED & MAXIMALIST aesthetic.
I feels like there isn’t much representation and space for a more modest, contemplative and restful expression of queerness. I invited a fellow quiet queer, Iva Thian, to collaboratively define the term ‘quiet queer’ as a way to encapsulate our underrepresented queer perspectives.
A series of community consultations and reflective activities will be used to gather and compare the different perceptions of the phrase 'quiet queers'. The community engaged in this project were largely CALD and self-identifying quiet queers aged 20-30.
Community consultation #1, #2, #3, #4
4 community consultations were held to understand how self-identifying quiet queers, non-quiet queers, and the general public perceives the phrase ‘quiet queers’.
Community Consultation #1: Using food to define ‘quiet’
Method
During this consultation, 4 self-identifying quiet queers were tasked to buy food and drinks from the market based on either the prompt ‘quiet’ or ‘non quiet’.
Afterwards, we enjoyed the food together while sharing our reasons behind our choices for the food we’ve identified as quiet and non quiet. The discussion helped me understand the factors that is considered when the label ‘quiet’ is projected onto an object/subject, and how this might apply to queers in the context of ‘quiet queers’.
Each participant then wrote down and explained their own definition of ‘quiet queer’.
The consultation revealed that self-identifying 'quiet queers' understood the term' quiet' as:
being outside of the spotlight. Not audio/sensory but rather attention-based.
Informed by the societal context of quiet and how we engage and interact with it
Community Consultation #2: Using food to define ‘queer’
Method
During this consultation, 2 self-identifying quiet queers and 1 self-identifying non-quiet queer were tasked to buy a pair of food groups that were ‘queer’ and ‘non queer’.
Afterwards, we enjoyed the food together while sharing our reasons behind our choices for the food we’ve identified as queer and non queer. The discussion helped me understand the factors that is attached to the label ‘queer’, and how this might apply to queers in the context of ‘quiet queers’.
Each participant then wrote down and explained their own definition of ‘quiet queer’.
The consultation revealed that self-identifying 'quiet queers' understood the term' queer' as:
Different from majority; marginalized (on the margins); stand out in some way; attract spotlight
peculiar; having to stand out and have a visually loud presence and loud socially.
Community Consultation #3: Using logo design to define the ‘quiet queer’ identity
Method
In this workshop, 5 self-identifying quiet queers were equipped with logo design principles and then asked to design a logo for quiet queers.
Understanding what the workshop participants choose to retain, leave out, or add to their quiet queer logo would let us understand:
What are the aspects of the ‘mainstream queer identity’ that quiet queers resonate with (elements retained) and don’t resonate with? (elements removed or modified).
What are elements of ‘quiet queerness’ that is not represented in ‘mainstream queer identity’ (new elements added).
At the end of the workshop, the participants were asked to identify any recurring trends and patterns across all the logos created. These identified patterns suggest some factors that remain consistent across the quiet queer identity.
Findings
We found many similarities in not only our thinking but in our designs. There were visual markers of arrows, linking and overlapping the letter “Q”, the juxtaposition of the complexity and simplicity of the letter.
Conversations of how we as quiet queers related to the dominant culture came up, and the ability of a quiet queer to coexist within the monolithic structures and our abilities to operate in our own bubble within the dominant sphere.
Inward, outwards, inside and outside at the same time. Fluidity comes into the conversation again.
Community Consultation #4: Open Studio
Method
We showcased the results of our 3 community consultations through a mid-residency open studio. During the open studio, members of the queer community, allies, and participants from the past consultations had conversations over the data presented. There were also stations set up to allow visitors to engage in a mini-version of activities offered in our past 3 consultations.
Managing a collaborative relationship
As an artistic project, I carefully thought about the method of working with my collaborator as a part of the creative process. We experimented and landed on several methods to maintain a healthy working relationship as follows:
Collaboration contract
Through self-reflection and discussion of our own modes of working, we created a collaboration contract as follows:
Diary-led check-ins
Both Iva and I had a personal diary-writing practice. We decided to journal our thoughts and feelings as we moved through the project. Each morning we’d spend 15-30 minutes going over our own diary entries and jotting down a couple of bullet points that would be beneficial to share with the other.
Ice-bath method
To simulate the feeling of a novel context that generates ideas in an art residency, the ice-bath method uses a rapid change of task to stimulate the natural and intuitive generation of ideas.
Results and Findings
Quiet Queer definitions:
We departed this project aiming to find a unified definition of 'quiet queers', but instead found that the purpose of the term quiet queers' is its lack of concrete definition. The novelty and emphasis on its lack of definition created a space that we wouldn't otherwise have achieved if 'quiet queers' were to be defined.
It’s important to note the discovery of fluidity and oscillation of the definition of “quiet queers” we've encountered. Its fluidity manifests itself from several lived experiences, academic exploration of each word, and the collation of data from our research.
“Quiet Queers” is informed both in context and in the way we engage with the systems and expectations around us as queer people.
Here are some definitions we compiled through our series of conversations with the community of quiet queers.
(verb). To find the middle ground. Operating with the desire to be different without attracting attention. Finding balance.
(verb) A regulating mechanism to care for oneself and identifying the importance to be still and quiet as someone being in the margins of everything and carry the responsibility and expectations.
(verb)To sit with the journey we are on, to reflect and introspect on one’s moment of identity and existence within the current zeitgeist.
(noun) A temporal or liminal space of rest to look for community, a liminal space of the liminal queer experience. A pit stop terminal where one can occupy at anytime
(adjective) quiet queer as in under the radar (that surprises straight poeple the most).
(verb) quiet queer as in to quietly assert your queerness on your own terms
(verb) offering radical slowness or softness in spaces
(noun) a queer person who does not agree/feel comfortable in or defies, normative capital stereotypes of what a queer person is
(noun) an identity self-prescribed by a queer person who feels like a misfit to the loud queer culture that they are surrounded by.
(noun) A person who identifies as queer but does not fit into the mainstream queer identity held by their local context (online / physically)
At the end of our time at Signal, Iva and I reflected on our time and exploration together, fleshing our thoughts into written essays.
Iva's reflection touches on these topics:
Defining queer and quiet, utilising etymological approach to unpack the historical definitions of each word that ultimately informs what “quiet queers” mean.
Cultural context and being defined by oneself and one’s community, society and queer labour
Where Quiet Queers fit in the spectrum of queerness and queer perception within the dominant culture.
Jess' reflection touches on these topics:
The unique phenomena enabled by the word ‘quiet queer’ due to it’s context (new word that is emphasized to not yet have concrete meaning).
The possession of an identity is the possession of expectations on oneself.
Recognising the expectations we tie to the identities that we hold gives us agency to choose which to unlearn and to keep: My queerness does not owe you any form of labour.
Where to next?
I'm looking to create a public product output informed by the findings of my residency to support the mental health and well-being of self-identifying quiet queers. I'm especially interested in partnering with organisations with a focus on queer and/or CALD communities to imagine the future of quiet queers beyond the fine arts institution. If you have ideas on how to partner up I would be interested to chat and find ways we can collaborate.
Please shoot be an email at tanto.jessica (at) gmail.com
Jessica Tanto is a queer artist and mindfulness facilitator born and raised in Java.
Iva Thian is a Borneo born witch and a practicing artist working and living on stolen land in Naarm.
