Dylan as Claude Cahun
Submitted by Dylan, the model. Photo by Martin Chartrand.
“Dylan as surrealist genderqueer artist and Nazi resistor Claude Cahun. The pose and costume (including the shirt, which reads “Don’t Kiss Me- I am in Training”) evoke Claude’s appearance in one of his surrealistic, gender-blending photographs, most of which were taken by his lover and co-conspirator Suzanne Malherbe/Marcel Moore.”
Posted by omggeek on February 8th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Category: faces 7 comments »
February 8th, 2011 at 10:12 am |
Hey, great picture ! Claude Cahun was actually a woman though (Claude is a unisex name in French). Still, I’m sure she’d be pleased with the male pronouns ! Way to pass in the early 20th c.!
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February 8th, 2011 at 11:59 am |
Who is the marker for and is it significant to the photo? Love the shirt.
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February 9th, 2011 at 5:15 am |
I love love LOVE Claude Cahun, I’m writing my Master’s thesis on her artistic gender explorations next year. Love your reinterpretation of her photo too!
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reanna replied:
March 4th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
heya! i’m writing a paper on her right now! i havent been able to find many sources that actually acknowledge Claude’s gender expression in a really valid way! have you already started research? :)
-r
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Tasha replied:
March 5th, 2011 at 9:56 am
Hey Reanna
I did some research last year but don’t remember much as I’m taking a gap year at the mo. Gen Doy wrote a really good book on Cahun’s photography – it definitely mentioned gender but I can’t remember how much detail it went into. You should check it out if you haven’t already!
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r replied:
March 5th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
thanks a lot! i’ll look into it. I feel like WE (trans*friendly folks) all see Claude’s GQ-ness but i havent found anyone outside of that who is even remotely aware. that happens to be what the paper i’m writing now is about… if you wanna get frustrated there’s a really good article “Georgiana M. M. Colvile, “Self-Representation as Symptom : The Case of Claude Cahun” <–analyzes the photos, letters and life psychoanalytically. the gender situation is RIGHT THERE but the author ignores it.
im going to the moma's library next week to do more research, its a great resource if you're near NYC. I'll let you know if they have anything spectacular
:D
February 9th, 2011 at 10:27 am |
Hi- Thanks for your comments. :) Els, I know that Claude was female-bodied. My choice of male pronouns is intentional and also reflects my interpretation of Claude in this photograph.
The marker isn’t terribly significant, no. :) It just gave me something to sit on.
Tasha- that’s fantastic. I don’t really know how Cahun would identify today, but its possible that ze would identify as neither male nor female. Good luck in your research, Cahun (and Moore) deserve more attention.
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