Queering Letters: Shame, Love and Self-Care 酷儿家书

During the time of lockdown and quarantine, we have more time to interrogate our negative emotions and painful experiences. Writing a letter, a form of communication that is fading into oblivion in the current internet age, is in fact a traditional way of communicating with the heart.

Jinxiao is presenting a lecture performance by using letters as a medium, through which he aims to create a safe space to practice embodied forms of (un)learning and explore self-love: the act of loving one’s self. He takes an intersectional approach to uncover and understand underlying affections, such as the shame experienced by a non-heterosexual man, his crisis of identity. The artist explores the oppressive power structures rooted in history, coloniality, capitalism and politics; and how they have constructed an emotional framework, one is forced to experience while searching for one’s sexual self-including a perpetual sense of shame.

Write down your innermost feelings, such as frustration, regret, sadness and resentment. When the words you write shatter and disintegrate, then you may embrace your wounded self. If you needed to write a letter to reveal your heart, to whom you would write it?

Concurrent Activities: We are delighted to have Keira May lead us through a mindfulness to learn to calm the emotions and thoughts. We also have a writing workshop where we try to write a letter to ourselves.

Artist

Jinxiao (he/his) studied painting at the Fine Arts middle school affiliated with the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chongqing, China (2007—2010) and obtained a BA in Movie and Animation from the same university (2010—2014). In 2014—2018, he worked in the field of children’s art education in China, obtained A MFA in the HKU University of the Arts.Utrecht, The Netherlands （2018-2020. Since 2018, Jinxiao’s art practice focuses on lecture-performance, which he sees as a continuation of his Constructivist pedagogical practice.

Mindfulness Practitioner

Keira May (They/Them) began their Yoga training as a practitioner of yoga for autism before completing their 200hr YTT in 2017. They are also qualified in Children’s Yoga and a Teacher and ambassador of Accessible Yoga. As an Accessible Yoga Teacher Keira aims to bring the benefits of yoga and mindfulness to everyone no matter your age, body type, gender, or physical ability.

Moderator

Jamie Chi (she/they) is an independent filmmaker and photographer. They are the director of a documentary & photography project called Safe Distance. Jamie is also the co-founder of Queer China UK.

Date:

12 June 2022 Sunday, 11am-1pm, UK Time | 12pm-2pm CEST UTC+2 | 6pm-8pm China Time | 6am-8am NY Time | 8pm-10pm Melbourne Time

Location:

Zoom

queerchineseartfestival.com