Page 89 - Antennae Issue #52

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Paul Harfleet
Paul Harfleet
photographing at Jayhawk Motel 1004 N 3rd St Lawrence Kansas 2018 photo: Ryan Waggoner © Spencer Museum of Art
did was very early in in in in in the the the the morning and and the the the the police showed up You were lying on the the the the the the the the ground photographing the the the the the the the the pansy and and apparently several people driving by notified the the the the the the the police that there was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a body on the the the the the the the side of of the the the the the the the road That image is “Beaten ” Jayhawk Motel 1004 N 3rd St Lawrence Kansas The planting of of the the the the the the pansy does not take take too long long but it takes longer for for you you to to get the the the the shot you you want Encountering the the the the the images and being present for for the the the the the plantings are very dif- ferent experiences I spent a a a a a a a a a a a lot of of time that day seeing you on on the the the the the ground at at the the the the the site of of of these incidents You were carefully generous responsive and and respectful of of the the the the stories you you you told and and and in in in in your dealings with the the the the participants As hopeful as the the the project can can seem it it can can also feel very dark and and and and overwhelming Can you you you you speak specifically to to your intentions and and and experiences planning for and and and leading up to to the plantings?
PH: At heart The Pansy Project is is is a a a a a a a a a a poetic and and absurd response to often brutal and and violent homophobia Sometimes humour humour arises from this tragicomedy I think it it echoes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a truth of LGBTQ+ experience: humour humour is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a device that that has has the capacity to to to help us us survive mentally in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a world that that has has largely condemned us us This is is something I I I bring to to to to the the the experience of of of of planting as as part of of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a tour I’m sen- sitive to to to to the the the the the needs of of of of the the the the the audience We have moments of of of of reflection when I’ve I’ve planted and we then walk on on on on to to to the the the the the next location At this point I’ve I’ve been lying belly down on on on the the the ground so it’s natural for me to to make light of being covered