Muddy
Introdution
“If we move past old frameworks of understanding, we can begin to see reality in its purity.”
This photograph represents the lived reality of transgender people: society’s discrimination and negative stereotypes paint over our bodies again and again, obscuring our most honest selves.
This work shows the realities of transgender people in different parts of society. Although the mud in the image feels heavy, it cannot prevent us from feeling one another’s warm embrace or the true selves depicted through tattoos.
Stuck in the quagmire of discrimination, we still continue to search for a place where we can feel safe and supported, a place where we can breathe.
Comment From the Judge :
Po Sung Chai
Muddy gives a physical form to stigma. The transgender person in the image appears to be in a painful yet calm state underneath the imagery of mud.
It also brings to mind the changing meaning of the word “QUEER.” One of the best ways to fight stigma is to reclaim our space, redefine ourselves, transforming stigma into accessories that adorn our own beauty without fear.