My work explores historical narratives by looking at periods of great change and creative liberation. I find that the Art Deco era is a perfect example of this. With its streamlined forms and focus on a sleek, new world, the movement rejected the rigid, traditional styles of the past.
This spirit of bold and liberating change is also a core part of the story of Achilles and Patroclus. Their love, like the Art Deco movement, was a break from convention. It embraced a new, honest form of beauty that resonates with the clean lines and forward-looking spirit of the era. The emotional clarity and directness of their relationship mirror the artistic principles that defined this exciting period.
This era also provided a vital space for queer men and women to express themselves. Artists like the American photographer Carl Van Vechten, who was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, used his work to celebrate a more fluid and less conventional world. The French artist Tamara de Lempicka created powerful, androgynous portraits that subverted traditional ideas of gender and beauty. These artists, through their own lives and work, were part of the same desire to break with the past and celebrate a new kind of self, an effort that resonates deeply with the enduring love story of Achilles and Patroclus.
