I exist in-between. The vast intersections of the points and places in which I exist as a person are the root of where my work exists. I have spent my life balancing these points and seeking a sense of place, making sense of the complexity of who I am. I was born and raised in Appalachia, a predominantly white and poor area, raised by a white mother and the strong women of her family in the absence of my black father. I am queer, I am non-binary, I am Trans, I am black, I am white, I am Appalachian. Growing up visibly black in an area without representation, and without the full, welcoming embrace of the totality of myself within any one of my disparate communities, has made me more aware of myself and the social contexts in which I exist; in the absence of wider social affirmation, I have had to focus on who I am, finding my own identity and affirming its value to myself. Now, I am an artist, an advocate for my communities, a witch, a drag queen, a mentor and educator. It is between these spaces and roles that I exist, and through sculpture, painting, performance, installation, drag, ritual, magic, and outreach, I make work that grounds me and represents the nexuses in which I exist and the communities that nurture and support them.
My work acts as a celebration. A space where I have found the totality of myself and honor the journey that brought me to this point. This space I create lets me utilize queer history and personal narratives, and stories and histories from my communities, to grant people a window to this sacred space of celebration. I make work that comes from a place of radicalized self love, in a world that says everything about me is wrong. Work that presents the full breadth of grief, fear, joy, love, and growth within my journey. The totality of my practice comes from utilizing the totems of my practice (art object, performance, and installation) to create the safe, welcoming, and warm space in which I can exist in all of my multitudes while inviting the viewer to do the same. I want to reframe the narrative applied to me and other people like me. As a Black Trans-Femme I know what the violence rates are against me and my sisters, I see in my own journey and those of the people I surround myself with the hardships, danger, and threats we navigate daily. Through all of this we still find joy, still find community, and still support and uplift each other in celebration of who we are. This is what I aim to accomplish with my work.
My current body of work features lush floral imagery and pockets, alluding to the language of flowers and hanky code (an homage to queer history and language), and motifs of divinity and sacred beings. These deities are symbolic of various aspects of Queer, Black, and Trans culture, my own personal history, and stories and narratives of those from within my communities. I create these gods and the realms in which they exist as a rejection of the narrative forced upon me through my southern Baptist upbringing in Appalachia—a message that I am wrong or sinful, that beings like me are not allowed to exist, and that I should spend my existence trying to curtail and hide my essence rather than expressing and sharing it. Alternatively, my creations act as symbols of radical self indulgence, love, and acceptance. These pieces are used to create a sanctuary that I then use as a backdrop for my performances, inviting viewers to participate in the celebration through dance parties, community organizing, and education.
Currently living and working in Peoria, IL
Email: xander9210@gmail.com
Instagram: @xander9210
@ArtemisiaVanHo
Project1612: project16twelve@gmail.com
hhttp://project1612.com
Peoria Guild of Black Artists: Peoriagoba.com
Peoriagoba@gmail.com