Ames Truscott

#thequeerspace

#thequeerspace is a mixed-media project that looks into creating a safe space where people can form a community. #thequeer- space is a collaborative project designed and curated by Ames Truscott (they/them), a multi-disciplinary visual artist based in Edinburgh.

Everyone deserves community. Everyone deserves a space where they feel accepted; where they can grieve, find sanctuary and just be their authentic selves. This work explores the space of Queer community, from the online space to the tangible, in-person, real-world space. By paying homage to our community spaces, we can carve out safe places for ourselves to exist within. During the pandemic, we were all thrown into digital realms, allowed exclusively to make connections and care for one another in the virtual, online space. We were all physically isolated from one another, bound behind screens to connect to our communities, our people. This work creates a safe, physical space for all people (regardless of their age, sex, race, disability or gender) to exist and gather together. Through the framework of equality, diversity and inclusivity, my work actively reflects upon, and celebrates, minority and/or sub-group differences and creates a space for new and diverse collaborative voices.

Glass blowing is an inherently collaborative practice as you need to work with a team of people to create and develop work and pieces. The glass for this project was created by working collaboratively with a group of talented artists and glassmakers*. These pieces are not simply glassworks, existing as static objects, they physical represent the importance of community in the work that goes into their existence.

The pieces also represent the physical body as a vessel and the vessel as a body. The term vessel as a metaphor is inspirational to me. I believe this project mirrors the idea that as humans we are all vessels and vessels are what connect us all. Since early times, vessels have been at the heart of communities: from objects that carried the community’s food and water, to objects which carry spiritual value, being part of a ceremonial exchange, rituals or worship, oftentimes physically representing the soul or familial ancestry. Vessels are a part of our combined history and are part of our everyday existence. At the centre of this project, is how the glass links and fits into my own abdominal space, at the very core of my body. Through this artwork, I hope that we can share this connection.

This work attempts to combine the digital with the analogue, merging the online with the in-person reality of life. Through the online platform of Twitter, this artwork is linked so that when someone tweets the hashtag: #thequeerspace, light pulses through my artwork. This simple action allows all people to interact with my work whether they are present or online. The lights slowly move through a distinctive colour wheel, with a multitude of different colour hues reflecting rainbows throughout the glass.

*Acknowledgments

This work is based on collaboration and being able to create and make work together. Queer collaboration is fundamental to my approach when creating work. I have been lucky enough to create work with the following incredible artists: Arlo Tomecek (They/Them). Teign Valley Glass: Richard Glass (He/Him), Imogen Mc (She/Her), Paul Harris (He/Him) ECA: Ingrid Phillips (She/Her), Meg McGregor (She/her), Dr Choi Keeryong (He/Him) and Greg Alliss (He/ Him). Thanks to Mark Kobine (He/Him) for your support in creating the coding and helping with the lights.