Found family is often expressed through art, and one resource that documents this is Queerly Collective’s digital exhibition on found and chosen families. While the exhibition itself is a digital gallery, every piece is done in a mixed medium, with no two pieces having the same list of materials and messages. Every artist also includes a statement about what found family means to them in the form of an artist’s bio. In this section, I plan to highlight a few of these pieces, as well as describe the artists’ understanding of the meaning of found family within their lives and their pieces.
“My Crew,” by Jay Crews (he/they)
“Family isn’t just blood relatives or people I’ve shared my last name with my entire life,” says Jay. “Family, to me, are people who give me a sense of community. They are people I can see in my life for longer than a few weeks. They are people who I can trust and love and they feel the exact way about me.” The piece is not only a representation of Jay’s personal understanding of found family, but also his identity as a Black trans man; his found family supports his transition, and serves as a form of connection between him and other queer people in his community. “I chose to draw the four people closest to me and myself in the middle. I hold them all close to my heart and think of them as the family I never knew I would have.” Jay is a multimedia artist based in Queens, NY, and primarily focuses his art on the intersections of race, gender identity, and sexuality. You can find more of his work on his website.
“Fruit” by Mische HT (they/them)
Mische’s piece highlights “the intimacy of the mundane,” as placed within their artist’s statement. This is defined by the reality of connection within queer spaces, and the diversity that exists within our lives, whether it be through love, life, or just general connection with each other and our communities. “I wouldn’t have the language or imagination to define myself as models for what’s possible. Without the stories queer people share. Without the relationships queer people create and celebrate… I learned that love and family is made, is an agreement, is not bound by domestic nuclear ideals or expectations.” Mische is autistic, queer, and white, and their work reflects on their awareness of self, interpersonal connection, and abstract patterns. More of their work can be found on their website.
“Home” by Eliot Alaimo Di Loro (they/them)
“The work I created for the exhibition is a colourful 3D rendering of what I consider my family,” Eliot notes. Their ideas of family link together parts of their life that feel the most like home; “together with my partner, calling my friends, walking in nature, and maybe even with our own children at some point.” In this, however, they reflect on how being a family with their partner can be a difficult topic for many trans and queer individuals; “our queerness can be a reason to become estranged from relatives and for trans people the plan to become a parent is much more difficult. But I wanted to celebrate the opportunity this gives us to form more positive relationships with other people.” Eliot is a German-Italian designer based in Dusseldorf, Germany, and more of their work can be found on their website.
Bibliography:
Alaimo Di Loro, Eliot. “Alaimo Di Loro – Design – Portfolio.” Alaimodiloro.myportfolio.com, 2022, alaimodiloro.myportfolio.com/work. Accessed 18 Apr. 2023.
Crews, Jay. “Home.” Art Made by Jay, 2020, artmadebyjay.wixsite.com/artmadebyjay. Accessed 18 Apr. 2023.
Demetri, Rain, et al. “Found Family.” Queerly Collective, 2020, www.queerlycollective.com/found-family.
HT, Mische. “MISCHE HT.” MISCHE HT, 2022, mische-ht.com/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2023.
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