Benjamin Sebastian 

& The Human Constellation:

​

Keijaun Thomas
Alicia Radage
Joseph Morgan Schofield

Fabiola Paz
Esther Neff
Andre Braga Verissimo

Bean
Ryan Burke
Jade Montserrat
Dani d'Emilia
Matteo Cortés
JD Melling

 

 

 

B e c o m i n g   C o n s t e l l a t i o n

2 0 1 7 – O n g o i n g.

 

Becoming Constellation is a live, interdisciplinary & collaborative artwork lead by Benjamin Sebastian. Begun in 2017, the artwork was initially conceived as a live archive and ongoing research methodology concerned with; “Queer narrative production – or – What it feels like to live through queerness”. In January 2017 Sebastian invited ten collaborators to co-operate in manifesting such an archive, with the research provocation: “We are more than our bodies, we are relations in time and space”. This process involved each collaborator:

​

1. Donating three artworks to be digitally archived and exhibited in group shows intermittently across time.

2. Answering a questionnaire regarding gender, class, ability, sexuality, race & queerness; to be included as a cut-up textual artwork within said exhibitions.

3. Donating a nude self portrait; to be included as a cut-up photographic artwork within said exhibitions.

4. Creating a magical statement of intent; a Sigil – pertaining to their lives & queerness – to be tattooed onto their body and the body of Benjamin Sebastian, as well as being included in said exhibitions.

 

The sigils produced by The Human Constellation have created a new and growing vernacular. This vernacular can be understood as a technology of queer resistance. The sigils' existence and meanings create an autonomous system of knowledge & power set aside from heteronormative systems of oppression and control. The Human Constellation maintain entire authorship, knowledge and control of the sigils – choosing if, as & when to share their meaning and power.

 

Further outcomes of this process have been numerous. The elements visible within this iteration of Becoming Constellation are an edited, re-visualising of the larger evolving archive process and its' objects.

​

www.becomingconstellation.com

 

@benjaminsebastian