I bring you a piece of horizon (2014-)
While working on my Androgyny series in 2014, I photographed Avery, (then Amaya) a 2nd grader who self-identified as a tomboy. I was struck by Avery’s confidence and self-assuredness and decided to make another work with him, a video piece titled, Girl, Boy, Both. The video followed Avery and another student also from the series, Amin, collaborating with their teacher on a gender inclusivity unit for Avery’s 2nd grade class to address some of the bullying he was experiencing. Watching him work through his own inclusion and belonging as he led his class through a complex subject, I realized I wanted to follow Avery’s trajectory. I was inspired by the work and long form of Rineke Dijkstra’s Almerisa series about a child refugee’s assimilation and development through yearly portraits. With continuing consent, I have photographed and audio interviewed Avery every year around his birthday since 2014 and we just made the 11th portrait in the series, as he turned 18. I bring you a piece of horizon is about growing up, gender and trans identity, coming of age, and the complexity imbued in the formative years between childhood and adulthood. It is also about the sitter/photographer relationship and a long-term conversation and acknowledgement of the formation of self and personhood. I will continue to photograph Avery yearly (as he permits) into his mid 20s.
