The exhibition includes 51 straight black and white portraits along with images that have informational text superimposed and documents the
process that Deb, now Jake went through to become "the sexual human being that he wanted to become." The project, which took over three years
to complete, explores issues of identity, masculinity, femininity, and feeling normal. It also confirms Sligh's extraordinary ability as a
photographer and storyteller.
"I interrogate my location as a photographer while making pictures of Jake as he transitioned from female to male. How did life experiences,
the perspective from which I see and understand, influence the framing of the image? At the time Jake asked me to photograph his sex change
from female to male, in 1996, her name was Deb. Although the act had its own value and meaning, it was not my issue and I was wary of the
ethical and political violence inherent in 'speaking for others.'"
"I did not realize the complexity or intensity of the process when I started. And throughout the process I felt conflicted in my role as
a documentary photographer. Although the bodily mutilation through surgery and hormones seem fairly gruesome, these things in themselves do not
provide the biggest challenges for me. As I observe and support Jake in his changes so that his body can pass as a white man, I cannot help but
think about the fact that I will never be able to change my brown skin to escape the layer of oppression one exeperiences from being black in
America."
"Working with and supporting someone whose values and beliefs differ radically from my own is forcing me to face some things about myself
that I never wanted to look at. It is the experience that is grounded in my body, the Self-Other conflict that reverberates with the history of
the Master-Slave relationship, and its strong resonance within our culture that I continue to explore."
—Clarissa Sligh, from the catalog
For more information on the artist please see
http://clarissasligh.com/
Clarissa Sligh will give an artist's talk on Monday, January 22 at 3pm in 2239 Lane Hall.
This exhibit runs from January 2–April 15, 2007, in the Lane Hall Gallery, 204 S. State Street. Lane Hall Gallery hours are 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, M–F.
Special thanks to the co-sponsors of this exhibit, Art & Design, the Program in Society and Medicine,
Institute for the Humanities and the School of Social Work’s TBLG Matters Initiative.