91快色

M铆拧a 艩torkov谩鈥檚 queer and Czech identity always felt at odds, which is what inspired their undergraduate research project. 

鈥淔or much of my life, I鈥檝e been told that queerness and Czech-ness cannot exist at the same time; that queerness is something Western infringing on Slavic culture,鈥� says 艩torkov谩. 鈥淢y research has helped me reconcile these two identities.鈥�  

艩torkov谩, fifth-year student in the at the 91快色, explains that queerphobia within contemporary Czech culture was inherited from the totalitarian regimes that historically occupied Czechia. 

When 艩torkov谩 first learned about the queer cultural boom that occurred in the First Czechoslovak Republic during the interwar period, 艩torkov谩 saw the radical potential of exploring this history.  

鈥淨ueer history is such a powerful tool in the contemporary rise of homophobia and transphobia especially.鈥�

鈥淚t's really important to look back on history and see that queer people have always been here. It鈥檚 not a new concept.鈥�

Their project, funded through the鈥�鈥�(PURE), is a collection of artwork incorporating materials from Czech queer archives. Through this work, 艩torkov谩 knit together the cultural traditions passed down to them by family with their exploration of queer identity. 

艩torkov谩 applied textile practices taught to them by the women in their family. While always passionate about creating, 艩torkov谩 didn鈥檛 always see themselves as an artist.  

鈥淎rt practices that are deemed as craft are female dominated. Textiles are a strong example of that. Its considered domestic labour 鈥� women鈥檚 work, and therefore its craft. When you knit a sweater, it's not called art,鈥� explains 艩torkov谩. 

Throughout the summer, 艩torkov谩 grew both as a researcher and artist. Their final project culminated in their first solo art show at the Little Gallery and continues to advance their artistic career. 艩torkov谩 will also exhibit their work in Winnipeg, Manitoba at Aceartinc Art Gallery from March through May.  

Accessible art and future research 

As rewarding as this project was, 艩torkov谩 describes how inaccessibility impacted their experience. As an ambulatory wheelchair user with fluctuating physical abilities, 艩torkov谩 constantly negotiates between art and disability. Be it unreliable elevators, heavy studio doors, or the lack of relevant accommodations for different artistic mediums, accessible art is not the norm.  

Inspired by this experience, 艩torkov谩 will be reapplying for research funding this year for a project related to accessibility within the visual arts. While they were initially nervous about the translation between art and academia, 艩torkov谩 now encourages other fine arts students to try their hand at research.  

鈥淭his experience has really helped me contextualize future works that I鈥檓 doing past this project. It鈥檚 a really great opportunity for all students, but I would say this is especially true for artists."