ANASTASIIA MIKHNO PHANTOM LINE

MEETING

Opening: 16.12.2022, opening hour: 18.00 CET

Phantom line

I collected a series of photos from the previous project “Phenotype A” from the borderline of two sciences: genetics and anthropology, which used the technique of classical anthropology (cephalometry) and photography. Its aim was to illustrate the unity and diversity of European phenotypes when drawing attention to the problem of xenophobia, discrimination and racism.

Among the participants of the project were 7 Drag Queens from Ukraine. While working on the project, I used the anthropometric scales to standardize the definition of descriptive features, such as skin, hair and eye color. The biggest surprise was the Drag Queen indicators, because their parameters did not fit into anthropometric scales – the color of hair (wigs) or eyes (down) often could not be assigned to any of the existing samples. The same applied to the use of make-up, with which the appearance was altered, and even completely transformed into a female version, when the documents indicated the actual male gender.

With the outbreak of war on European territory – in Ukraine, humanity, as well as its individual groups, faced a reality that no one was ready for. When considering the topic of gender identity in the context of martial law, it is extremely difficult to find the right words. On the one hand, on the scale of what is happening, talking about such things seems ridiculous and out of date, but on the other hand, it is quite reasonable when we are talking about a part of society that oscillates somewhere between gender identity and military duty. The Drag Queen in this story, due to the visually striking example of the clash of feminine and masculine, becomes a particularly symbolic visualization of this problem. A phantom, invisible line, whether in society or on a dog tag.

As they are not possible due to martial law in Ukraine, the potential challenge of creating Drag Queen portraits from the “Phenotype A” project, which has been forgotten by the photographic technique, i.e. the “wet collodion process”. The wet collodion plate technique is exclusively black and white, i.e. discolored and due to static impact. It looks not like a moment ripped out of time, but stretched out in time, lasting long, like a fairy tale about lost time, and everything appears instantly, vividly and terrifyingly artificial. Life came to a standstill, as did Drag Queen’s vibrant nightlife, full of costumes, burlesque and applause.

Anastasiia Mikhno

Special thanks go to Mr. Roman Krawchenko from the Workshops of Culture for his help in the production of collodions.

Anastasiia Mikhno (born 1983) is a graduate of the Academy of Art in Szczecin. The Phantom line project was created as part of the We Support Ukraine Program of the National Institute of Music and Dance