Year
2021Role
IllustrationGive Us Our Flowers, Vol. 01
The LGBTQIA+ voices at BUCK came together to make a collaborative zine focused on expanding the narrative surrounding Pride.For full credits and more information ︎︎︎
With a focus on highlighting revolutionary, but often-forgotten, Queer POC, “Give Us Our Flowers” explores their struggles while celebrating the strength they summoned to fight for their rights.
This zine project was concepted, developed, and executed entirely by members of the LGBTQIA+ folks at BUCK. Most of the illustrators who participated are members of the community, alongside a few allies. A special thank you to Asia Hunt, Ayla Mortada, Kevin Pires, Kim Stephens, Vero Gomez, and Zoé Schneider.
This zine project was concepted, developed, and executed entirely by members of the LGBTQIA+ folks at BUCK. Most of the illustrators who participated are members of the community, alongside a few allies. A special thank you to Asia Hunt, Ayla Mortada, Kevin Pires, Kim Stephens, Vero Gomez, and Zoé Schneider.
Printed in collaboration with Secret Riso Club, each of our 26 spotlights features a custom illustration and biography. Secret Riso Club is an anti-capitalist design studio that focuses on intersectional social justice, design, and community building. 100% of proceeds are given to The Stonewall Protests, The Triangle Project, and The Black Trans Art & Joy Fund.
︎︎︎ My illustration was dedicated to Leslie Cheung, a Hong Kong icon who built a following as a Canto-pop singer, award-winning actor, LGBTQIA+ pioneer, and one of the first Asian celebrities to come out. He was both praised and critiqued for being openly gay, and helped normalize homosexuality in Asia.
Leslie was particularly iconic for his versatility both on stage and in cinema, and was considered ahead of his time, especially in Asia, which was (and is) very conservative. He once said, “The highest achievement for a performer is to embody both genders at the same time. For art itself is genderless,” so I wanted to portray him as an ethereal embodiment of his many iconic performances and looks, instead of sidelining him into just one. All those facets are refractions of his identity, one that goes beyond a singular understanding of gender.
Leslie was particularly iconic for his versatility both on stage and in cinema, and was considered ahead of his time, especially in Asia, which was (and is) very conservative. He once said, “The highest achievement for a performer is to embody both genders at the same time. For art itself is genderless,” so I wanted to portray him as an ethereal embodiment of his many iconic performances and looks, instead of sidelining him into just one. All those facets are refractions of his identity, one that goes beyond a singular understanding of gender.
