METRANSMORPHOSIS
METRANSMORPHOSIS
IMPRESSIONIQUE (Works on Paper) 2022
Within the project, photographic prints featuring Aaron Philip in the artist's studio are encapsulated within a classic golden frame in the paintings within the series—a recurring motif that transcends its historical connotations of wealth and luxury. This golden frame, laden with symbolism, serves as a poignant visual metaphor, redirecting attention towards the imperative need to address wealth disparities in contemporary society. Painted with red and gold flakes, the frame takes on deeper significance, signifying the blood on the hands of those who perpetuate systemic inequalities by hoarding resources. This representation challenges the illusion of fame, revealing its deceptive nature and emphasizing the critical importance of wealth redistribution, particularly towards the most marginalized communities.
AARON’S METRANSMORPHOSIS
(2022)
MANHATTAN, NY
These portraits of Aaron Philip at the artist’s studio signaling her symbolic, saccharine and regenerative existence in the practice, harnessing the dynamism and eroticism inherent in the renaissance period of art. The series of photographs is an expression of the artist’s feminine desires and inclinations which was not allowed during her formative years. Aaron Philip as the subject is the star of the work but instead of just a feminine body to gaze upon, the work is a highly seductive art that inspires others to be virtuous and attract goodness to plead against closed minds. These portraits are a reminder that if we cannot center and liberate the most marginalized in our communities, we cannot collectively change, grow or expand. We become unconsciously stuck in monotonous routines and our consciousness lulled in boredom.
IMPRESSIONIQUE I
(2022)
24” x 36”
Acrylic and Oil on Canvas
The piece begins with an abstract paint strokes through a circular motion in the center of the piece, the colors black and brown used represents the people of color that must be centered in this movement, and the blue, pink, and white paint pays homage to the trans and non-binary folks who started the Stonewall uprising movement of 1969. This is enveloped by a flower headpiece inspired by the flower crown that Marsha P. Johnson was often seen wearing. On the lower right is a titular figure, an impressionistic portrait of Marsha P. Johnson holding the brick that started the Stonewall riots in 1969. Right beneath her are two abstract forms representing the fight with the people against the liberation of queer people and the fight between the people inside the community. In the upper left hand corner of the painting is an impressionistic illustration of Aaron Philip from a portrait created in the artist’s studio. Impressionique I won first runner up in the 2022 Stonewall Painting Contest.
IMPRESSIONIQUE II
(2022)
24” x 36”
Acrylic on Canvas with Gold Foil
The piece shows surrealist portraits of black trans artists Aaron Philip, Tourmaline, and Munroe Bergdorf together with a portrayal of the artist and her trans sister Aisia Castelano from the Metransverse triptych on the upper right. The piece is to remind us of the need to center the most marginalized identities in our society as a part of the collective work that the Stonewall uprising of 1969 started. The gold frame surrounding Aaron is to remind the viewer of the need for redistribution of wealth to the most marginalized communities.
IMPRESSIONIQUE
Portraits of Trans Women of Color:
Aaron Philip, Tourmaline, and Munroe Bergdorf
(2022)
8.5” x 11”
Works on Paper
In this evocative series of drawings, the artist weaves together the stories of Influential figures in the LGBTQ+ rights movement in her lifetime. The first painting features an impressionistic illustration of trans activist Aaron Philip, adorned with a flower headpiece crafted by the artist Tourmaline photographed by the artist. Aaron, a muse for the artist, stands as a symbol of the ongoing struggle for equality and recognition within the transgender community.
As a collective work, the series pays homage to the Stonewall uprising of 1969, urging viewers to center the most marginalized identities in the ongoing pursuit of equality. Through the expressive strokes and vivid symbolism, the paintings transcend the canvas, inviting the audience to reflect on the importance of redistributing resources, dismantling oppressive systems, and embracing the shared humanity that unites us beyond the confines of screens and illusions. Each stroke on the canvas becomes a brushstroke in the larger narrative of liberation, echoing the voices of those who have paved the way for progress and justice.
