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Liminal

Claudia Borgia

2016 - Ongoing

With a glass of rhum in his hand, during one of our first conversations, Tony tells me that the word queer gives him joy as much as the expression "I'm depressed", but for the opposite reason, for the rarefied outlines. I had never heard of queer until I discovered my body, the chance to live it, to enjoy it and make it enjoy. I kept talking to Tony, I did not stop anymore. I started the journey.

Literally queer means transversal, diagonal, oblique. In the 90s it was used as an insult. It was a derogatory epithet that was addressed to homosexual.Those were the years of the AIDS crisis and there was a violent campaign to criminalize the sexual promiscuity of gay and transgender people. The militants of Queer Nation, the first queer collective in New York, wanted to respond with peaceful actions, to the growing street violence against gays and lesbians, and against the full representation of prejudices in the media. So they chose to present themselves just like those fags that caused so much disgust in right-thinking citizens. The appropriation of that provocative image also implied a new inclusive attitude for the need to overcome those boreders of the homosexual community between gays, lesbians, transsexuals, transgender, bisexuals. In particular, the rigidly binary conception of sexual identity was denyed, both male/female and heterosexual/homosexual, incapable of considering gender as a "fluid variable that changes and adapt itself in different contexts and epochs" (Michele Foucault).

In Italy meanwhile was emerging a critical consciousness moving from the feminist message "the personal is political". It wondered about the possibility of other opportunities of thought, action and life. Here, like abroad, today as in the 90s, through the art of performance, of an experience lived within and beyond the borders of conventional culture, actors, actress, activists offer us real and freeing alternatives.

On the route of gender nomads, nomad myself, I went to the east and in the Pigneto district of Rome I crossed the colorful life of Tony, Nita, Play girls from Caracas and Silvia. Fluid bodies, queer beings, migrants, who fabulous and provocative tell about deviant subjectivities and subversive desires. In short, dangerous stories for morality, decency and conscience of normal. With them I wandered around Italy in different queer places. Like nature, they struggle to understand the borders. Mountain ranges, rivers and seas, they are geographic elements that are overdetermined to delimit the territories and impose a power: if the sea can be an obstacle or an escape route, the mountain ranges are natural boundaries but also well-defined cultural regions, the body could be the basis for a revolution that starts from questioning being a man or a woman, to be oneself.

These artivists open a path to unlimited transits between genders and lead us through the possible fluctuations of desire among heterosexuality and homosexuality, creating other imaginings, new spaces of life and relationships.

Tony, biological male. When he speaks about himself he usually use the feminine. He was one of the first performer of the queer roman scene.

Nita, biological female. She prefers to be neutral, and not be recognized as a man or a woman. With her performances, she leads us through the pleasures of positive sex through the discovery of BDSM.

Playgirls from Caracas is the queer music project of Annalisa and Gilvia, an artistic couple and in life. Both biological females.

Silvia, biological female. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity.

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  • Nita at the festival of Santarcangelo of theaters, the oldest Italian festival dedicated to the arts of the contemporary scene, and one of the most significant European events in the field of theater and dance. The artistic director of this edition, Eva Neklayaeva, gave particular emphasis to the queer art by calling the artivists of the Roman scene. Nita, biological female. From the north of Italy she arrived in Rome with her family when she was teenager. She prefers to be neutral, and not be recognized as a man or a woman. With her performances, she leads us through the pleasures of positive sex through the discovery of BDSM. Bondage, discipline (or domination), sadism, and masochism. Santarcangelo di Romagna. Italy

  • Silvia Calderoni playing the role of Cal in the show MDLSX, of the theater company Motus. The show is based on the novel Middle sex by Jeffrey Eugenides. The story of a little girl who discovers she is a hermaphrodite. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Potenza. Italy.

  • Silvia Calderoni and the rest of the jury of the first Hacker Porn Film Festival in Rome, in the club 30 Ants. The 30 Ants is one of the queer clubs in the Pigneto district of Rome. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Rome. Italy.

  • Tony Allotta at Fort Prenestino, just before his performace based on the book Testo Junkie, by Beatrice Paul Preciado. The Fort Prenestino and 'a social center occupied and self-managed since 1986. Tony, biological male. Originally from Sicily. When he speaks about himself he usually use the feminine. He was one of the first performer of the queer roman scene. Rome. Italy.

  • GIlvia and Annalisa, in art Play girls from Caracas, during a une day trip to the Nymphs's garden of the district Eur. Playgirls from Caracas is the queer music project of Annalisa and Gilvia, an artistic couple and in life. Both biological females. Born in Puglia, they live in Pigneto, Rome. The project is a sort of queer archeology that digs without limits in different genres and periods. A sparkling mixed fry, supported by provocative video inspired by the art world, post feminist movements and soft porn. Rome. Italy.

  • Annalisa and Gilvia, in art Play girls from Caracas, during a trip by the sea. Playgirls from Caracas is the queer music project of Annalisa and Gilvia, an artistic couple and in life. Both biological females. Born in Puglia, they live in Pigneto, Rome. The project is a sort of queer archeology that digs without limits in different genres and periods. A sparkling mixed fry, supported by provocative video inspired by the art world, post feminist movements and soft porn. Latina. Italy.

  • Annalisa's works hung in the house. Annalisa is a visual artist who uses different media: from drawing to performance, from installation to painting and embroidery. She founded the Playgirls from Caracas. Playgirls from Caracas is the queer music project of Annalisa and Gilvia, an artistic couple and in life. Both biological females. Born in Puglia, they live in Pigneto, Rome. The project is a sort of queer archeology that digs without limits in different genres and periods. A sparkling mixed fry, supported by provocative video inspired by the art world, post feminist movements and soft porn. Rome. Italy.

  • Silvia Calderoni playing the role of Cal in the show MDLSX, of the theater company Motus. The show is based on the novel Middle sex by Jeffrey Eugenides. The story of a little girl who discovers she is a hermaphrodite. Silvia Calderoni. Born in Romagna. Biological female. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Potenza, Italy.

  • Nita prepares for a performance. During the interview she told me: "when you start to deconstruct the identity you understand what are all the tricks for which they put us in gradations of power that create conflicts, that create unhappiness, that create abuses". Nita, biological female. From the north of Italy she arrived in Rome with her family when she was teenager. She prefers to be neutral, and not be recognized as a man or a woman. With her performances, she leads us through the pleasures of positive sex through the discovery of BDSM. Bondage, discipline (or domination), sadism, and masochism. Rome. Italy.

  • Tony Allotta in his House in Pigneto district in Rome. The Pigneto district is considered the queer quarter of Rome. It welcomes artists, immigrants, homosexuals, lesbians, gendel fluid peolple who cohabit with elderly old inhabitants of the neighborhood.Tony, biological male. Originally from Sicily. When he speaks about himself he usually use the feminine. He was one of the first performer of the queer roman scene. Rome. Italy.

  • The toilette of Silvia House, In Pigneto district of Rome. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Rome. Italy.

  • Silvia Calderoni playing a role in the show Uber Raffiche, of the theater company Motus, during the festival of theatre of Santarcangelo di Romagna. Uber Raffiche is a remake of Splendid's (a play by Jean Genet, which we staged for the first time in 2002, with a male cast). Crossing the threshold of sex, the Motus have made the piece with a cast all female, to do away with the dictatorship of the genre, despite the peremptory prohibition of international copyright. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Santarcangelo di Romagna, Rimini. Italy.

  • Silvia Calderoni playing the role of Cal in the show MDLSX, of the theater company Motus. The show is based on the novel Middle sex by Jeffrey Eugenides. The story of a little girl who discovers she is a hermaphrodite. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Potenza. Italy.

  • Tony is preparing for the performance Zoccola (Bitch) in the toilette of the queer club 30 Ants. Zoccola is based on the true story of Tiziana Cantone who commits suicide after her boyfriend posted a video on facebook in which she made an oral report to him.Tony, biological male. Originally from Sicily. When he speaks about himself he usually use the feminine. He was one of the first performer of the queer roman scene. Rome. Italy.

  • Nita during a BDSM performance in the queer club Kino, in the Pigneto district of Rome. Nita, biological female. From the north of Italy she arrived in Rome with her family when she was teenager. She prefers to be neutral, and not be recognized as a man or a woman. With her performances, she leads us through the pleasures of positive sex through the discovery of BDSM. Bondage, discipline (or domination), sadism, and masochism. Rome. Italy.

  • Silvia and her girlfriend Ilenia exhausted after the last evening of the festival of the theaters of Santarcangelo, fall asleep on the ground, just outside the Auto Bar. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Santarcangelo di Romagna, Rimini. Italy.

  • Silvia Calderoni in the dressing room of the Angelomai, a center of independent culture production in Rome, after the show MDLSX, of the theater company Motus. The show is based on the novel Middle sex by Jeffrey Eugenides. The story of a little girl who discovers she is a hermaphrodite. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Rome. Italy.

  • Tony performing Zoccola (Bitch) in the toilette of the queer club 30 Ants. Zoccola is based on the true story of Tiziana Cantone who commits suicide after her boyfriend posted a video on facebook in which she made an oral report to him.Tony, biological male. Originally from Sicily. When he speaks about himself he usually use the feminine. He was one of the first performer of the queer roman scene. Rome. Italy.

  • The Playgirls form Caracas prepare for the djset in the queer Eremo club. Playgirls from Caracas is the queer music project of Annalisa and Gilvia, an artistic couple and in life. Both biological females. Born in Puglia, they live in Pigneto, Rome. The project is a sort of queer archeology that digs without limits in different genres and periods. A sparkling mixed fry, supported by provocative video inspired by the art world, post feminist movements and soft porn. Molfetta, Bari. Italy.

  • Silvia after the show MDLSX, of the theater company Motus. The show is based on the novel Middle sex by Jeffrey Eugenides. The story of a little girl who discovers she is a hermaphrodite. Silvia Calderoni. Biological female. Born in Romagna. Being queer for Silvia is a political urgency, it is her body to be political, especially when the theatrical expression allows her to manifest herself in her integrity. Potenza. Italy.

Liminal

Claudia Borgia

2016 - Ongoing

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