Tatu Vuolteenaho paints portraits of queer witches. They are queers and their allies who are into spirituality.
Queer people have often felt excluded from mainstream religions and spiritual groups. Gay culture in the western world offers alcohol, sex, shopping and bitching but spirituality has been less visible. In other cultures the queers have been seen differently. They have often held intersex, androgynous people, feminine males and masculine females in high respect and the queers have been seen as religious leaders and teachers.
Tatu takes photographs first and paints from the photos. Tatu participates in workshops, rituals, healings etc. to learn more about the models. That way he hopes to get some magic into the paintings.
Over 30 paintings have been done so far, above are the first 6: Yiorgos, Yvonne (sold), Martyn (sold), Johannes, Risto and Maisa.
The paintings are 100 x 81 cm, acrylic on canvas.
Next exhibition RAINBOW MAGIC is on 22.11. - 17.12. 2023 in Aarni Gallery in Espoo, Finland.
OPENING
Tuesday 21 November at 17 - 19
Eye-Leen fashion show, House of Disappointments.
The opening will feature a fashion performance with the House of Disappointments group. They have created outfits from Eye-Leen silk and cotton fabrics and will present them at the opening. Some of the outfits are on display in the exhibition.
More info in www.espoonkuvataiteilijat.fi/nayttelyt/rainbow-magic/ Poster model: Kangela.
An article in Voima from an exhibition in Madrid in Spring 2023
MORE EXHIBITIONS IN 2024 and 2025:
- Akustiikka in Ylivieska, Finland in August 2024 (TBC)
- Tallinn in April, part of the Tallinn Bearty Festival 2024 (TBC)
- Moxy Hotel in Athens June 2024 (TBC)
- PLAY Room in Zaandam, Holland, as a part of an exhibition for National Pink Saturday Event in June 2025 (TBC)
Aim is to have exhibitions in many countries. This project can go even further: research trips to Latin America, academic studies and a book.
QW art project aims to sell the works and part of the profits go to help our less fortunate LGBT+ friends. A gay refugee from Uganda Geoffrey Rainbo has inspired us to include this aspect into the project.
Wigs for refugees or what could we do? (Article about Geoffrey)
Art Lectures
Tatu Vuolteenaho is giving art talks called "Drag Queens, Aliens and Queer Witches". They are about Tatu's colourful queer party history and why the QW art project seems like a good idea now. Tatu can give the lectures in Finnish, English or in Spanish.
See the London lecture from The Glory on Youtube
