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Those We Glimpse

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Those We Glimpse

Zeph Fishlyn

Those We Glimpse: Gathering Our Queer Ancestors

In a culture that has historically silenced and isolated LGBTQI+ people, how can we build a whole picture of where we came from? How does locating and honoring obscure lineages of queerness strengthen our sense of individual and collective belonging?

For many LGBTQ+ people, coming out casts us out from our own 'official' family stories and leaves us searching for ancestors—for that larger web from which we draw strength and context. But for every famous historical LGBTQ+ figure, there are thousands more who lived un-famous, half-glimpsed, or closeted lives. Those We Glimpse is an ongoing project to make those lives visible. Since 2015, I have created a series of participatory art installations inviting visitors to contribute queer anecdotes, speculations and rumors from their own blood families.

Those We Glimpse has included gallery installations, group storytelling, and a handmade book. It is a gathering of fragments to hold all of our ancestors close.