IN // OUT OF BLOOM by Dandysocpic (AKA JG Tansley)

Historically we, the LGBTQIA+ community have found ways to see each other from Rainbow flag stickers hidden in the corner of café windows to let you know sanctuary can be found here to working the colours of trans* flag into your make-up. Getting a pansy tattoo, piercing in your left ear, tying a paisley handkerchief around your neck, filling your home with lilies. Offsetting your pink manicure with a silver glittery nail on your ring finger. (All of these are actual codes to quietly show your queerness. Each with their own meaning)

Using flowers, plants, nature with LGBTQIA+ meanings/subtexts as a jump-off point; IN // OUT OF BLOOM is a collection of poems, essays, stories, and visuals exploring ‘queer coding’ and being loud on the low. Inspired by Prospect Cottage’s garden, all the proud queer plant-parents, and their lockdown instagram content and the George Michael song ‘Outside’.

Alongside the Zine, I have planted flowers near places which hold our LGBTQIA+ history in the North East. As a kind-of temporary public art inspiration.

Words:

JG Tansley

Quotes from Derek Jarman

Digital Collage:
JG Tansley

Dandysocpic is the not-quite-drag performance alias of artist JG Tansley; they make performance work that is gender-bent, unapologetically camp, heartfelt and unashamed.