little birds

When i was coming of age in the 1990's claiming language was very hot. As a member of Queer Nation i was well versed in the restorative power of reclaiming slurs. I began a hunt for a way to reclaim Fag. At the age of 7, i was called fag for the first time. i heard it nearly everytime i left the house for the next 8 years. in order to move into an adult sexual role i needed to be able to hear and say this word without flinching. Most of the historical traces i could find linked it with british slang for cigarettes which in turn comes from the small bundle of sticks used to set the blaze aflame when someone was burned at the stake. hardly the tool for empowerment that i wanted it to be. then at a party one night i introduced my search as a topic of conversation within a group of 5 or 6 gay men. one self proclaimed "language nerd" offered that it can be traced to an old italian slang term fagella meaning "little bird". instantly years of abuse and hurt was released as a flock of sparrows. sweet and seemingly delicate these little creatures are surprisingly resilient, durable and resourceful with the perpetual possibility of flight!

i have no idea if what this man said to me was true or not. i stopped all research. if it is incorrect then i simply do not care. 15 years later i continue to self-identify as a little bird.

i have begun to collect portraits of boys that i consider to be little birds.
this collection expand into other topics and different connotations with a central concept of depictions of masculinity.

i wanted a place that i can catalogue the various conversations, comments, distractions, inspirations, trains of thought, whatever... here we go.