The legacies of HIV/AIDS have left us with a fractured lineage of queer-artist mentors. For the living seeking intergenerational dialogue, this culture of incredible generational loss demands research and new methods of communication with sustained, overlooked, or forgotten legacies. Because queer histories and sensibilities do not follow linear, logical narrative constructs, “CALLING ALL DIVAS” is an exercise in mining for possible and impossible identifications, inspirations, and relationships in the devastated crisis-society. Conversing with the DIVA(S) - in esoteric and transhistorical methodologies - is the overarching task for this project.
This is a research project whose purpose is not to concretely define DIVA, but to use them symbolically as a non-patriarchal icons, presenting examples of cross-genre queer inspiration in order to instigate and invigorate individuals to think and act in dialogue with actual and imagined legacies. I investigate, converse, collaborate, and fantasize with persona, costume, text, movement and music to create chapters that focus specifically on female/femme/queer inspiration. By imitating, honoring, listening, and conjuring people and characters, my body becomes a site of devastation and possibility. I momentarily become something I can never fully be. The references are incredibly political figures: feminist, queer, HIV+, POC, movement leaders, revolutionaries, academics, artists…
“CALLING ALL DIVAS” is improvisatory, eclectic, idiosyncratic, gossip, using found object and anti-methods, counter-intuitive juxtapositions of events and materials. It denies the linear, rational, productive hyper-speed demanded and normalized by global neo-liberal capitalism. By fragmenting, slowing the pace, and presenting diverse methodologies it presents research and lays bare the rules of gendered and re-gendered performance, possibly creating sources for new experiences and understandings of gendered subjectivity.
Deviant in the face of product-oriented economic logics, this project does not intend to draw conclusions, state facts, or conclude any kinds of clear theses. It will engage activities that probably seem pointless, wasteful, or unproductive to those stranded in heternormative temporalities. Rather, queers, women, people of color, frustrated heteros, those marginalized can find an invigorating essence to take beyond the dominant prescribed methods of identification and inheritance in the face of incomprehensible loss.
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TYLER as KEMBRA as KAREN as PORTIA
performance at Hammer Museum 2016
performance at SOPPEN festival in Ekeberparken, Oslo, Norway for OSLO PILOT 2016
performance at Vermilion Sands 2017
performance at McPOEMS January, 2015
performance at Emily O August, 2015
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TYLER as KLAUS by STEVEN as KING ARTHUR
performance at SOPPEN festival in Ekeberparken, Oslo, Norway for OSLO PILOT 2016
performance at Hammer Museum 2016
performance at Vermilion Sands 2017
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LADY BRIGHT
performance at McPOEMS August, 2015
performance at Hammer Museum 2016
performance at Vermilion Sands 2017
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TYLER as DIVINE as TROJAN WHORE as JUDY GARLAND
performance at SOPPEN festival in Ekeberparken, Oslo, Norway for OSLO PILOT 2016
performance at Hammer Museum 2016
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TYLER as GRACE by KEITH as WOOD WITCH
performance at SOPPEN festival in Ekeberparken, Oslo, Norway for OSLO PILOT 2016
performance at Hammer Museum 2016
performance at Vermilion Sands 2017
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TYLER as SINEAD as PRINCE as IRIS
performance at Hammer Museum
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TYLER as ELIZABETH as CLEOPATRA as BJÖRK
performance at Hammer Museum
performance at Vermilion Sands 2017
