Page 88 - Antennae Issue #52

At heart The Pansy Proj- ect is a a a poetic and absurd response to often brutal and violent homophobia Some- times humour arises from this tragicomedy I think it echoes a truth of LGBTQ+ experience horticultural world in a a a a a a a a a a a way that that I had not considered The entire structure of a a a a a a a a a a a flower show show is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a theatrical device that that that asks the the the the the visitor to to suspend their disbelief as as they wander through the the the the the showground viewing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a tableau of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a garden that that only exists for a a a week The The successful submission led to to The The Pansy Project Garden It was in- tended to to to be be read as as sculptural intervention rather than a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a garden garden proper A critical decision we we we made from from the the the the the beginning is is is that we we we wanted the the the the the ‘garden’ to to to appear to to be be be rising from from the the the the the grounds as as if the the the the the flower show itself had been in- terrupted or subverted by the the the the ‘earthquake’ referencing structure structure we we used as as a a a a a a a a a a a a symbol of of homophobia The The pansies appeared to to grow through the the the the structure’s cracks which added to to to to to the the the the the temporal nature of of of the the the the the piece The The abstracted brutal- ist beauty of of of the the the the the work invited visitors to to to to to ask about the the the the the ‘garden ’ enabling us to to to to to tell the the the story of of The Pansy Project Simply as as an an an an an object the the the the uncanniness of of of The The The Pansy Pansy Project Project Garden in in the the the the garden show context was evident The The The notion of of of of the the the the the the uncanny refers to the the the the the the no- tion tion tion of of of of the the the the familiar familiar made ‘unfamiliar ’ The The mundane associations of of of of the the the the pansy as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hum-drum garden staple transformed into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a symbol of of of of activist work alters how how this plant is is is viewed in in in in the the the the the context of of the the the the the flower show and in in in in the the the the the unexpect- edly sculptural artwork As long as the the the the the the the the viewer remembers the the the the the the the the renewed meaning of of the the the the the the pansies they they may experience a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sense of of return when they they see a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pansy again in in its ‘usual’ context so I consider the the the the the larger-scale works to exist as part of the conversation JO: Your gesture of of planting a a a a a a a a a a a a a pansy is is is poetic and and also functions as a a a a a a a a a a a a a memo- rial resistance awareness and and activism The tension between some of of of these functions makes your work work very productive How is is is is an an an an ephemeral act act of of resist- ance for example also a a a a a a a a a a a a memorial? What tensions or or or or or or overlaps in in the work work have seemed productive or or or surprising to you?
PH: While planting at at at sites where I’d experienced the the the abuse I I I was surprised to find myself emotionally moved by the the the experience experience I I I I knew immediately that that the the the act was both defiant and healing I I I sensed that that this this work work would evolve into an an an an ongoing artwork so I I named it it it it it The Pansy Project Titling it it it it it in in in in in in this this way invited the the the the viewer to consider the the the the the scope of the the the the the work work and and the the the the the potential it it it it it it it it has for activism and outreach It’s implicit within the the the the title I I believe the the the the work can function in in in in many different ways The simple act of of planting pansies at at the the the site of of homophobia becomes the the the mantra that infuses everything I I do with The Pansy Project I I see this less as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a tension and more as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a harmonic note that that emanates from the the the simple act act of of planting a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a flower at at at at at the the the site of of hatred The fact that that that the the the work can be seen simultaneously in in in many ways is something that that helps spark conversation When I travel and people come across the the the the the the work work for the the the the the the first time they are invited into it it it The contrast between the the the the the the simplicity of the the the the the the action and and how the the the the the the work work can be be interpreted is is is a a a a a a a a a a constant surprise and and is is is incredibly gratifying to to me This also allows the work to to be seen from from different perspectives from from street art art guerrilla gardening activism anthropology psychogeography and queer art art It’s been been amazing to see the way The Pansy Project has been been viewed through different lenses JO: There are different ways for people to encounter your work: the project as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a whole as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a public outreach and and and social justice campaign street-level interven- tions and and and the the the resulting series of of images images I I was was aware of of the the the project and and and images images over a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a decade ago but it it was was not until our our work together in in in 2018 that I I could experience the the plantings firsthand Prior to to your visit you you you sent sent us a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a document that was essentially a a a a a a a a a a a a a map of past hate crimes in in in our our area The first first planting planting you you you 88 antennae