Patterns Of Love

In queer relationships, the politics of touch can represent a kind of resistance agains precariousness. Other than the precarious nature of queer relationships, at the root of it, insecurity and tension arises due to expression (or lack) of affection. This expression was explored with the help of images of tentative hands that are unsure whether to reach out or pull back.

This is an initial exploration of my positionality as a queer woman and how it has constantly affected the way I perceive myself as an artist. Constantly having to be careful, there is a certain sense of hesitance that comes with expression of intimacy in queer relationships. This politics of touch is starkly unique to queer experiences and it reflects the inner precariousness in a common connection.

This was made alive by first looking at reference photos of people holding hands that best represent a sense of hesitation. In order to provide my sketches with authentic and relatable positions, I also took photos with the help of my friends and drew from my own experiences. An important decision here was the choice of my medium. I was keen on exploring the idea of painting through threads. A substantial time commitment and level of personal participation are often necessary for embroidery. The medium's sensory element of relief and the physical texture of the embroidery can reflect the emotional texture of these relationships when depicting the tentative touch and the ambiguous nature of affection.