The Rose Project: Portraits of the Trans Community
The Rose Project is a deeply personal portrait project dedicated to the beautiful trans community. It began after a friend and collaborator of mine, Cash Askew, passed away last year. She and I created a lot of wonderful images together, and I felt compelled to continue the project.
It’s called the Rose Project because I often use flowers in my work, and some of my most favorite images of Cash feature her holding roses. I am photographing people from the trans community who want to be seen — I love it when I am taking photos and I see people talking and enjoying themselves. I’ve had six photo shoots, and each of them feels very positive and therapeutic. I’ve had people contact me from all over the world, and I would like to be able to meet and photograph them all.
I always ask my subjects to share a quote. Below you’ll find portraits accompanied by a few lines.
Jess Vita: “I am a dancer, a dyke and an eternal worshipper of the sea and moon. I naturally intertwine the feminine and masculine and gravitate toward those who do the same.”
Teter: “Tender Southern queer.”
Erin/Aaron: “Possibly the reincarnation of Keith Haring, probably a cheap knock-off.”
Mikaela/Mickey: “I’m a sweet Taurus bitch. I have a complex relationship with my body, which is a huge source of physical/emotional pain and strife. I’m learning to treat it gently, to cherish it and honor it. Bless this broken vessel.”
Colin Wild: “Rock ’n’ roll sex demon from space, trapped on this mortal plane.”
Johnny Truant: “Rock ’n’ roll androgyne, Satanic transsexual, faggot witch.”
Bailey Kobelin: “I became attracted to goth fashion and music around the same time I came out. It provided a platform for my gender expression and has only furthered my confidence.”
Niña Fresa: “Niña Fresa malinche, perra caliente, Santa Magdalena. Floresita cualquiera. Atrevida y divertida. Hija del universo. Mariposa. Mariquita y poderosa.”
Indigo: “I’m a trans male, but I really like to fuck with gender, do all kinds of drag, make it art. Life is short, and I want to live it being my authentic freaky self.”
Luc: “Pisces Ascendant, Venus in Pisces in the First House.”
“Our minds tranced our bodies six years ago at a bus stop in San Francisco, and from age 19 to 25, we continue to swoon/entangle, converge/expand like a star coalesced.”
Gabby Gamboa: “A mischievous queer kid into visual storytelling inspired by Chavela Vargas. Always tired, always restless. That introverted extrovert who dances with eyes closed.”
Lauren Geiger: “Queerly unformulaic process/maker here to deconstruct forms of linear concreteness.”
