Art That Mattersby Spannenburg.Art
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A black and white conceptual fine art portrait of ZICO for the ESTRANGED series by ARJAN SPANNENBURG, featuring a man among tall marsh reeds.

More from the series

ESTRANGED (serie) →
A high-contrast black and white conceptual portrait of STAN for the ESTRANGED series by ARJAN SPANNENBURG, featuring a man looking through dense foliage.A black and white conceptual portrait of JIP for the ESTRANGED series by ARJAN SPANNENBURG, showing a man partially hidden by pine branches.A black and white conceptual fine art portrait of TOOTSI for the ESTRANGED series by ARJAN SPANNENBURG, featuring a person in drag among large leaves.A black and white conceptual fine art portrait of CHRISTIAN for the ESTRANGED series by ARJAN SPANNENBURG, showing a man from behind among oak leaves.A black and white conceptual fine art portrait of SURAINA for the ESTRANGED series by ARJAN SPANNENBURG, featuring a woman looking through elderberry branches.A black and white conceptual fine art portrait of ROBIN for the ESTRANGED series by ARJAN SPANNENBURG, featuring a person with a shaved head among dense leaves.
Arjan Spannenburg

ESTRANGED - ZICO

"A visual narrative of strategic invisibility and the resilient reclamation of space, reflecting the constant risk assessment of the queer body in both local and international landscapes."

The Narrative

Navigating the terrain of conditional belonging

In this powerful addition to the ESTRANGED series, ARJAN SPANNENBURG explores the concept of 'geographic identity'—the way one’s sense of self must be edited or amplified depending on the surrounding environment. Through the portrait of ZICO, the artist examines the mental labour involved in reading a landscape for potential threats. SPANNENBURG utilises the tall, rhythmic reeds of the marshland to symbolise the thin veil of protection that anonymity provides. The image captures the moment where the subject chooses what to reveal and what to withhold, a direct reflection of the "travel advice" queer individuals must follow even within their own borders.

The silent protest of being seen

SPANNENBURG se motivasie vir hierdie werk is om die oorgang van vrees na aktiewe weerstand te dokumenteer. Deur ZICO binne die riete te plaas, beklemtoon die kunstenaar die onderwerp se agentskap om 'n wêreld te navigeer wat sy bestaan dikwels as 'n "ideologie" beskou eerder as 'n biologiese realiteit. Soos ZICO reflekteer oor die keuse om sigbare dade van toegeneentheid te bly toon ten spyte van eksterne vyandigheid: Ek het 'n tyd gehad toe ek nie meer hand in hand wou loop nie, vanweë hierdie soort kommentaar. Ek was baie geskok deur daardie reaksies. Ons het saam besluit om daarmee voort te gaan. Hierdie werk verhef 'n persoonlike besluit tot 'n museale stelling oor die noodsaaklikheid van sigbaarheid. Vir die versamelaar en kurator staan hierdie stuk as 'n getuienis van die volharding wat nodig is om publieke ruimtes outentiek te bewoon.

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Visual Analysis

A vertical black and white photograph showcasing a shirtless young man, partially submerged within a dense field of tall, sharp-bladed marsh reeds. The subject is viewed from the side, his torso and shoulders catching a strong, direct light that contrasts with the deep shadows of the foliage. His face is mostly obscured by the overlapping blades of grass, though the shape of his head and short hair is visible. One hand is shown gripping a cluster of reeds in the middle ground, while the other is visible near the bottom right. The composition is filled with diagonal lines of the reeds, creating a complex, textured barrier that surrounds and partially veils the human form.

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Year

2022

Genres

Male PortraitureMasculine VulnerabilityConceptualPhotographyMental HealthComing of AgeQueerConceptualLGBT+