• ILLICIT PIONEERS •
2022 - Copenhagen
Illicit Pioneers explores homoerotic iconography, specifically focusing on gender roles and identities in Russia and other former Soviet Union countries. The project aims to challenge the populist government led by Vladimir Putin, which has been actively targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
Male bodies are depicted against the backdrop of the first constitution of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. This serves as a veiled critique of Putin's government, which often relies on a nostalgic portrayal of the Soviet Union's past and seeks to restore its former strength and influence on the global stage.
The project's primary objective is to remind viewers that it was the first official constitution of the RSFSR that decriminalized homosexuality and promised freedom for all people in the newly established Soviet Russia. Through this artistic endeavor, Illicit Pioneers aims to highlight the contrast between the progressive ideals of the past and the current oppressive policies targeting the LGBTQ+ community. It employs a provocative approach to address repressed desires and societal taboos. The utilization of red communist colors, pioneer movement neckerchiefs, realistic photography, and decorative Soviet elements all contribute to the overall impact and message conveyed by this project.
In Russia, LGBTQ+ youth face significant challenges in enjoying their basic rights to dignity, health, education, information, and association. The country has a long history of hostility towards homosexuality and gender diversity, resulting in threats, bullying, abuse within families, and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. The introduction of the "gay propaganda" law in 2013 has exacerbated this social hostility and had detrimental effects on the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth. The "gay propaganda" law in Russia exemplifies political homophobia, as it specifically targets vulnerable sexual and gender minorities for political purposes. By signing the law, President Vladimir Putin sought to cater to a conservative support base within the country. Internationally, the legislation helped portray Russia as a defender of so-called "traditional values." The law, officially titled as a measure to protect children from information that denies traditional family values, effectively prohibits the "promotion of nontraditional sexual relations to minors." This ban is widely understood as a restriction on providing children with information about the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals.
As a result of the law, access to affirming education and support services for LGBTQ+ youth has been severely limited, leading to harmful consequences for their well-being. The "gay propaganda" law not only perpetuates discrimination and stigmatization but also obstructs the provision of crucial information and resources that could support LGBTQ+ youth in their personal development and understanding of their own identities.
Overall, the situation for LGBTQ+ youth in Russia remains challenging due to social hostility, discrimination, and the restrictive "gay propaganda" law. Efforts to promote inclusivity, respect, and equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals are crucial to ensure the well-being and dignity of all young people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The October Revolution radically changed the situation for homosexuals in Russia, as it did for women. In 1922 the first criminal code of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) was passed as law. In 1918 all the old Tsarist laws were suspended and when finally, after a few years of debate, the new constitution was adopted, homosexuality or “sodomy” as it was called, was decriminalised. This was an enormous advance for homosexuals, who under the Tsar could be arrested and sentenced to years of imprisonment or sent to labour camps. Bolsheviks scrapped and rewrote the country's laws. They produced two Criminal Codes - in 1922 and 1926 - and an article prohibiting gay sex was left off both.