In hopes to understand the way we see identity, I've decided to expose my experiences. You will also experience my exploration with fibers, photography, fashion, and beauty.
“Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community” takes you places that you and your sewing never thought to go. The exhibition’s organizer, John Chaich, an independent curator, posits fiber art as the ideal lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender medium, it being feminine-masculine, high-low and, at least in the context of this judiciously racy show, naughty-nice.
For starters, there’s quite a bit of history, some of it art history. A 1950s needlepoint image of two nude, lounging men, by Allen Porter, brings Paul Cadmus and pre-Stonewall days to mind. And a free-hanging 2013 black macramé piece by the South African artist Pierre Fouché turns a figure from a Dutch Mannerist painting into a contemporary political protester.
Liz Collins knits a potentially endless version of Gilbert Baker’s 1978 original rainbow pride flag, and L. J. Roberts, with the help of Buzz Slutzky and Daniel Rosza Lang/Levitsky, stops the show with a crazy assemblage that maps queer collectives in Brooklyn. Officials at the Smithsonian American Art Museum bought the piece, and good for them.
Rebecca Levi contributes a same-sex portrait in cotton; the estimable James Gobel has one in felt; and the Argentine team of Chiachio & Giannone does one in jewelry thread. Jai Andrew Carrillo comes through with a denim-and-lace self-portrait. And the Atlanta-based Aubrey Longley-Cook, in collaboration with a community group he teaches, has (somehow) combined cross-stitching with video animation to produce a kinetic RuPaul.
Other unusual media? John Thomas Paradiso stitches pansies on leather in what looks like petit point. And Sheila Pepe, channeling early feminist art, does a virtuosic crochet work with shoelaces in a wall piece called “Your Granny’s Not Square.”
The prize for the sweetest piece goes to “Then and Now (Rainbow Order)” by the great Larry Krone, who sews together bits of crochet that he picks up in bargain stores across the country to make a grass-roots affair symbolically queer.
Most ambitious entry? No contest: Nathan Vincent’s walk-in, life-size installation called “Locker Room,” in which every component — lockers, shower stands, urinals, benches — is a masterwork of crochet. As I said, places you never thought you and your thimble would go. But go.
Correction: February 22, 2014
An art review on Friday about “Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community,” at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, misstated part of the name of a work by Larry Krone. It is “Then and Now (Rainbow Order),” not “Now and Then (Rainbow Order).”
Here's an interview Artlarking did about my artwork. Click the link for images http://artlarking.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/jaicarrillo/
INTERVIEW // VISUAL ARTIST JAI CARRILLO
Hello Hello
Interview with Jai Carrillo
by Rae Rubio
When I first met Jai we kept eyeing each other from across the work place because of each
other's fashionable art wear. I knew then we'd be friends. We first met working together at a
frame shop in the Inner Richmond district of San Francisco.
I've always known he'd have something to share with the world of his talents. Jai is an emerging queer textile artist based in San Francisco. He explores his vision of art through fibers, photography, fashion, and beauty.
Favorite quote
"What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it's curved like a road through mountains."
-Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire
Rae: Now let's begin with the interview.
Rae: Can you recall a memory of when you first started making art and textiles? How did you start being serious about it?
Jai: My earliest memory of creativity was at 5 years old. When the Disney movie The Little Mermaid came out, I needed to have the Barbie version. What was available to me was a generic Barbie doll and a squeaky rubber shark. With scissors in hand, I cut the shark's head off and placed Barbie, legs first, inside. This wasn't the most glamorous mermaid, but I was happy. What could be more queer than the juxtaposition of a vicious, blood thirsty boy's toy and tender, petite girl's doll? Years later, I began hand sewing dresses for my Barbies, which was the beginning of my textile journey. At 17 years old, i got my first sewing machine. It wasn't until college that the study of textile arts was something people practiced, not just fashion. Weaving, fiber dyes, basketry, embroidery, and pattern design became outlets for new creative expressions.
Rae: How would you describe your subject matter or the content of your work?
Jai: The term "queer" has various connotations depending on generation, gender politics, and community. To be vague, I describe queer as a feeling, person, or idea that does not follow traditional thinking in Western culture. The subject is queer because it challenges conventional ideas of gender presentation around masculinity. Breaking down ideas of gender association with textiles opens up new visual and tactile experiences.
Rae: What mediums do you work with?
Jai: Since I went to college to study photography, the idea of portraits appealed to me. Once digital photography was integrated into the practice, I became disassociated with the subject and struggled relying on technology as a tool for expression. Just like a photograph, embroideries are portraits that capture a moment in time. What's special about textiles is the hours, days, and months spent recreating that stillness.
Knitting, crocheting, sewing, and embroidery became my favorite practices. I began working with recycled materials like lingerie to make boxing gloves. Knitting with thick yards of wool to create boxing gloves presents a delicate approach to a violent male dominated sport. After 3 semesters of textiles and a self portrait embroidery assignment, needlework fulfilled many of my queer creative desires. When researching books on embroidery, I found a technique called "Blackwork" which uses counted repeat patterns to create gradation with thread count and filling in extra stitches. Using embroidery fabric that uses counted stitches per inch, stitches create a pixel effect that can make an image. Perfecting this technique has taken years and seems to be what I enjoy most.
Rae: Do you see your work as relating to any current movement or direction in visual art or culture?
Jai: Photography has been used to document diverse cultures and communities. Queer youths are losing visibility as western cultures come closer to equal rights between same sex relationships. Since same sex marriage is an option in California, homosexuals can be seen following heteronormative traditions like monogamy and child rearing. San Francisco has become an epicenter for queer youths and people living with HIV. As unemployment rates and homelessness are increasing, 4 condominiums for single family are being built within a 3 mile radius, leaving queers and people of color to move where? Where can queer people of color gain visibility when so much attention living a traditional lifestyle in a expensive city?
It's important to bring attention to conflicts that may not be part of our community and art has always been a medium to share worldwide. In public, my mannerism, my petite figure, and floral print outfits read me as a big ole queer. My art looks at ambiguity and anonymity of one's ethnicity and gender to challenge our prejudices and really look into behaviors.
Rae: Do you intend for your work to challenge the viewer?
Jai: Historically, so much of art subjects the female body to the male gaze. The female body is objectified in all art forms as well as film, television, and advertisement. The female body has become a normative part of western culture and is rarely disputed for being publicly displayed yet often critiqued. When naked male bodies are viewed in the public eye, discomfort and associations with homophobia arise. Why is there a binary between the sexes?
Its obvious that the imagery is of gay sex and pornography. Beyond gay sex, the experience the viewer has with the art challenges perceptions on sexuality, gender, and race. When the phallus is delicately embroidered, one is forced to look closely at the details, and see the phallus as something beautiful. Men are challenged to look at the sexual context of the art.
Rae: What are you presently inspired by- are there particular things you are reading, listening to or looking at to fuel your work?
Jai: Works by the playwright Tennessee Williams have been influential by romanticizing tragedy and dishonor. Williams often writes about homosexual characters hiding from their true self. Characters that live dual lifestyles often have the most mystery which leads to tragedy. I think the unspoken sexual deviance becomes a curiosity and informal awakening to sexual diversity in current culture.
Rae: What do you love most about being an artist in San Francisco?
Jai: Whenever I walk around the city, there is some imprint of art in the streets. Someone knits yarn around a tree or bike post; coy fish skeletons float on the cement of my neighborhood; spray painted stencils denouncing building condominiums mark my walk to work. The effort and amount of expression is unlimited in San Francisco. Since I'm working as a Hairstylist at Edo Salon, I'm inspired by everything that can be translated into hair. Color, patterns, compositions all influence my esthetics. There are many street artists as well as gallery artists that are passionate for their craft. Passion is what makes art live and inspires me to create as well.
Rae: Describe your personal style?
Jai: It's kind of hard to say what my style is like... I guess I'm like a Golden Girl from the 1950's who bumped into Vivianne Westwood. Yeah, that's it.
Rae: Any influential artists that you love and admire?
Jai: Kiki Smith, Claude Cahun, Robert Mapplethorpe, Pierre et Gilles, Tom of Finland, Kenneth Anger, James Bidgood, and Nick Cave are artists that I reference during creative brainstorming. Using traditional techniques of portrait photography, Robert Mapplethorpe showed the beauty and sensuality in bondage and discipline sexual practices with soft lighting in black and white photography. James Bidgood created a pink, glitter filled bedroom and story tale forests to depict homoerotic desires. With an 8mm film camera, Bidgood created a full length film in his studio apartment, lots of paper mache, and filmed male sex workers to create Pink Narcissus. I love the parallels between sexual deviance and magical eroticism. Softening our visions of underground sexual practices of pain and submission creates a kitsch value I love exploring.
Rae: Is there any artists you want to collaborate with in the future?
Jai: Nick Cave creates gorgeous sculptures and suits used for performances. Cave uses different mediums and has so much knowledge for constructing these suits. The details are hand crafted and take a crew to build. I'd love to perform and build a suit with him.
Rae: What music inspires you when you are making art? Any bands or genre you are currently listening to?
Jai: Erykah Badu, Kate Bush, and the Delfonics have been creative sidekick when I want to mellow out, sit in my rocking chair, and embroider. Whenever I'm speeding through a sewing project and need some energetic tunes, Kelis, Animal Collective, No Doubt, Santigold, and Nina Hagen are right by my side.
Rae: When are you most creative, time of day?
Jai: Like many artists who like to procrastinate, the late hours tend to be the most productive. Probably because I'm tired and a little delusional from long hours at work. What has been helpful to enhancing that creativity, is organizing craft nights with friends and roommates. The energy in a room filled with artists presents a bounty of influence, support, and fun that can't be found alone in my room in the middle of the night.
Rae: Lastly, Are you involved in any upcoming shows or events? Where and When?
Jai: During San Francisco's LGBTQ Pride Month, I was part of a collective art show "Queering Mythologies," sponsored by the Queer Cultural Center. The show gave me inspiration to work on projects I've halted for 3 years. I'm currently working on a burlesque performance piece about a boxer who comes out as queer. The outfits will be covered in red sequins and lace.
Rae: Thank you for the interview Jai! I'll be seeing you around soon!
As part of a group show, I'm participating in an exclusive queer textile show in New York at the Leslie Lohman Gay and Lesbian Museum.
Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community
Exhibition dates: January 17 - March 16, 2014 Public Opening: January 17, 6-8 PM
Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community will be on view January 17 through March 16, 2014 at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art. Queer Threads, a group show curated by John Chaich, explores notions of aspiration, socialization, and representation within the LGBTQ community through artists employing thread-based craft materials, techniques, and processes.
While many of these artists are internationally recognized in the craft and art communities, this exhibition marks the first time these works have been shown together to specifically highlight their queerness. Comprised from a mix of well-established and emerging talent from across the United States, as well as Argentina, Canada, and South Africa, this exhibition will feature artists Chris Bogia (New York), Melanie Braverman (Massachusetts), Jai Andrew Carrillo (California), Chiachio & Giannone (Argentina), Liz Collins (New York), Ben Cuevas (California), Pierre Fouché (South Africa), James Gobel (California), Jesse Harrod (Virginia), Larry Krone (New York), Rebecca Levi (New York), Aubrey Longley-Cook (Georgia), Aaron McIntosch (Maryland), Allyson Mitchell (Canada), John Thomas Paradiso (Maryland), Sheila Pepe (New York), Maria E. Piñeres (California), Allen Porter (deceased), L. J. Roberts (New York), Sonny Schneider (Denmark), Buzz Slutzky (New York), Nathan Vincent (New York), and Jessica Whitbread (Canada).
Queer Threads will fully activate the Museum’s gallery through felt paintings, yarn drawings, embroidered portraits, knit sculpture, quilted tapestries, and crocheted installations, as well as video. From Nathan Vincent’s life-sized crocheted men’s locker room, to Liz Collin’s oversized knit pride flag based on Gilbert Baker’s 1978 original design, works range from intimate to expansive in scale. From Allyson Mitchell’s found afghans emblazoned with phrases such as “Pride is a Pyramid Scheme,” to James Gobel’s use of felt, acrylic, and yarn to create a portrait of fashion design team Costello Tagliapietra, many of Queer Threads’ artists mix craft technique or materials with traditional mediums, while others fully employ craft processes.
 Flowing off the wall to the floor, L.J. Roberts’ The Queer Houses of Brooklyn in the Three Towns of Breukelen, Boswyck and Midwout during the 41st Year of the Stonewall Era, particularly exemplifies the use of craft techniques to explore contemporary queer culture as it incorporates knitting, embroidery, and quilting to create a colorful, multi-textured sculpture mapping queer, cohabitating collectives. With references to the AIDS quilt and ACT UP iconography, the piece honors punk DIY aesthetics and traditional craft, as well as the families we create. This work is on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum who purchased the piece after it was shown in its 2013 40 Under 40: Craft Futures exhibition.
“The new visions and voices in Queer Threads, uniquely expressed through craft traditions, expand on Leslie-Lohman’s commitment to examining the diversity of the LGBTQ experience through art,” says Hunter O’Hanian, Executive Director. In doing so, Chaich notes, “Using craft to celebrate and critique identity and community is very queer in all senses of the word—unusual, political, and personal.”
A range of guest docents will lead tours of the exhibition, including fashion design team Costello Tagliapietra; Debbie Stoller, author of the Stitch n’ Bitch Nation series of knitting books and editor-in-chief of BUST magazine, and designer Todd Oldham, creator of the Kid Made Modern series of books and supplies.
About the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art
Best place for gay culture, Time Out New York: New York's Best 2012 "…invaluable museum." Holland Cotter, New York Times, June 2013
The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art is the first and only dedicated gay and lesbian art museum in the world with a mission to exhibit and preserve gay and lesbian art, and foster the artists who create it. The Museum has a permanent collection of over 22,000 objects, 6-8 major exhibitions annually, artist talks, film screenings, readings, THE ARCHIVE - a quarterly art newsletter, a membership program, and a research library. The Leslie-Lohman Museum is operated by the Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation, a non-profit founded in 1987 by Charles W. Leslie and Fritz Lohman who have supported gay and lesbian artists for over 30 years. The Leslie-Lohman Museum embraces the rich creative history of the gay and lesbian art community by informing, inspiring, entertaining and challenging all who enter its doors.
The Museum is located at 26 Wooster Street, in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. Admission is free, and hours are 12pm-6pm Tuesday through Sunday. The Museum is closed Monday and all major holidays. The Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation is a non-profit organization and is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)3 of the IRS Code. The Museum can be reached at 212-431-2609.
John Chaich (curator): John Chaich is a designer, writer, and curator living in New York City. His recent exhibition, Mixed Messages: A(I)DS, Art & Words, for Visual AIDS debuted to critical acclaim in The New York Times and Artforum before traveling to DC to coincide with the International AIDS Conference. He has written on art and pop culture for BUST and Art & Understanding magazines and has contributed catalogue essays for PPOW Gallery. On the Web and on Twitter: ChaichCreative.
More! More! More! More matching fits with long oversized Tank and matching leggings cuffs. I could work, dance, and sleep in this.
Outfit: Jai Carrillo (me)
Photography: Laura Cohen
Summer is here, even under the fog. I'm busting out some monochromatic outfits. This blouse was made months ago. It came out of the dark and I created some simple pockets to enhance the square shape.
Fish-net is the new lace! I love the exaggerated holes, they leave no room for the imagination. I'm fantisizing about some bright leggings to wear underneath.
So much gold, so little time. Another skirt I found with an amazing pattern and detailed border. I kept the skirt for a few weeks until the final design came to me. I'm obsessed with the texture and shape of athletic wear. Having couture clothes that I can sleep, exercise, as well as go to work in, makes for a great design.
These pants had the past life of a skirt. The ornate pearl buttons are reminiscent of dress suit. Having a high waistline makes me think of the Barbara Eden's hidden belly. You'll never see what mine looks like!
Who doesn't love floral? If sports teams had better uniforms, I'd probably watch basketball, or kick a ball around. The moment I met this floral jersey fabric, my queer mind went over that rainbow and made a slam dunk. The blouse was modeled after football jerseys and the shorts designed from basketball shorts with a stretch waist. Don't I look like a baller?
Queering Mythologies is of profound relevance to the current climate of violence against queers worldwide. This project proposes that we re-imagine our histories and therefore our futures so as to combat the material and spiritual effects of the marginalization of queer youth, sex workers, gender non-conformists, and transgender men and women. Queering Mythologies hopes to motivate all those who experience the timeless tale of sorrow & discrimination through creating a more fantastical, colorful, and diverse mythology for queers to draw their inspiration from and to create a community network of queer artist to inspire the next generation.
