queer burials: Jean Genet, Leslie Feinberg, Michel Foucault, Walt Whitman

queer burials is a ritual burial for queer ancestors. In many cases, queer ancestors lived and died without the recognition of a community, the ability to realize their identity, full participation in family, and if the worst of cases, persecution and execution. With the assistance of a queer gender non-binary altarperson, the artist evokes the presence of the ancestors with readings from queer artists, activists, authors and poets. These readings are grounded with stones, carefully placed into a coffin, and covered with some difficulty by a burial shroud. After a pause for reflection, the artist invites the assembly to dance in celebration of our queer bodies to the song “Stop!” by the living queer artists of Erasure which begins “We’ll be together again…” Pictured: altarperson Ruby Jordan Welch exorcises the sadness from their queer body at the debut performance. This recorded performance of the work was located on the streets of Portland, OR as a part of Risk/Reward: Pavement.