Page 90 - Antennae Issue #52

Paul Harfleet
Top: Jævla Homo! Kvitsøygata Stavanger Wall Painting part of Nuart Festival Stavan- ger Norway 2019
© Paul Harfleet
Below: Homosexuals are perverts they’re a sick- ness Palce du Molard Geneva 2018
© Paul Harfleet
90 antennae
in in in dirt This helps dilute the the the profound sense of of despair the the the work can summon The hardest thing for for me is is the the the research I I I need to do before arriving at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a location I I I I begin by finding well-known experiences of homophobia online I I I I find find out as as as much as as as I I I can can The stories are harrowing and and can can have have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a massive impact on on the the the survivors and and and worse the the the families of those that that have have not survived What helps me is that that that I I I know I’ll I’ll be be be marking these locations with with flowers and and and I’ll I’ll be be be engaging with with communities that that that have been impacted by homophobia and and transphobia Ultimately we all need to know that that that our our experiences are heard
and that our community matters Audiences fundamentally understand that that The The Pansy Pansy Project Project was born
from my own experience The The Pansy Pansy Project Project allows allows us to to to come together in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a way that is unique to to to art It allows allows conversation interaction and and the the the acknowledge- ment of of of of shared experiences in in in the the face of of of of an an an ever more unjust and and cruel world It is is is this sense sense of of of of of solidarity that bolsters my sense sense of of of of of well being I’m privileged to to be be in in in a a a a a a a a position where I I I can facilitate a a a a a a a a unique way of of of exploring our histories JO: Although planting happens at street level and and is fleeting and and ephemeral the the the perspective you you get while photographing the the the the pansy from the the the the ground makes it visually monumental in in in in in in many of of the the the resulting images images Can you you you give some insight into your your own experiences making such formidable images images images of of this garden flow- er? Could you you you also talk about your your strategy for for titling the images?
PH: As I I I I said earlier I I I I initially resisted the the the pansy as as I I I I thought the the the flower lacked impact The natural way for me me to to address this was to to make the the the the images I I I I cap- tured as as as monumental as as as possible This also helps locate the the planting in in in in its geog- raphy When I’m I’m taking a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a photograph I’m I’m searching for street furniture or or iconic architecture that can remain recognisable in in in in in the the the background whilst the the the pansy is is is crisp in in the foreground Creating an an an an an image image that transforms a a a a a a a a a a a a little pansy into an an an an an iconic flower against a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a city skyline tends to to to to give this small intervention significance The image image speaks to to to to how how these stories are marginalized and and overlooked and and is is often in in in in in in in con- trast to to to how how the the the the planting seems in in in in the the the the location The pansies themselves become a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a version of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a portrait Each flower has a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a personality Its position condition and colour add a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a narrative Some look strong others deflated This process is is where my aesthetic sense comes to to to the the the the the the fore I can often spend hours trying to to to get the the the the the the composition correct As the the the the the the the pansy rarely endures in in in its location the the the the the the the photograph becomes becomes a a a a a a a a a a a a a long-lasting memorial to to to the the the the the crime that occurred Once the the the the the images are on on on on my website or or or exhibited the the the the the the picture becomes becomes assimilated into The Pansy Project as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a body of of of of work work the the the the repetition of of of of which contributes to to to the the the the reading of of of of the the the the work work as as both anecdotal history and a a a a a a a a a fifteen-year record of of of activism JO: I’ve always understood that you you plant the the the the the pansies in in the the the the the closest available soil on on the the the the the the site but I I notice you you have actually painted some of of them at at at at the the the the the the base of of exterior walls What brought on on this this new strategy? Does it it change the the the the the the process for you? Is this this a a a a a shift in in the the the work we might see further developed in in future projects?
PH: This was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pragmatic response to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a situation at at at the Nuart Festival in Sta- vanger Norway last year For various reasons we we weren’t able to to get pansies in in in time time for my my appearance at the the the the festival As the the the the time time approached I I faced the the the the reality of not having the the the one thing I I needed to to complete my my my work It seemed that my my only option was was to to paint pansies at at at sites of of homopho- bia rather than plant As this was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a street art festival it it felt like an an an an an appropriate context to to to to explore It was was important to to to to paint paint them them life-size to to to to reference the the the the the usu- al al al process process and paint paint them them close to to to to locations of homophobia I I actually found the the the the the process process invigorated something in in in in the the the work The street art festival audience was