Thoughts on Shout Festival!

"Fags!", Bullring, Birmingham, For Thom Docking & Ryan George

I have just returned from the Shout Festival in Birmingham, where I planted individual pansies for those that had experienced abuse in the streets. (images above/below and on the slide show right) In one afternoon I managed to plant seven pansies across Birmingham at various locations across the city, as usual the people I met that told me about their experiences had varied responses to their attacks from mild indifference to severe anxiety. Of course this depended often on the severity of attacks though one thing remains, total and complete bewilderment at the actions of the few that so viscerally affect the gay community.

I also placed 2000 pansies (kindly supplied by the West Midlands Police) along Hurst Street in Birmingham, (slide-show above) in a thin line slicing through weeds and road side verges the pansies where installed with the help of some volunteers, (some members of Pink Shield where amongst the helpers) who kindly braved the wind and rain! Alarmingly some of our party received homophobic and racial abuse whilst planting. As ever I remain perplexed by this behaviour.

"Die Queer! Die Queer! Die Queer! Die Queer! Wyatt Close, Birmingham, For Ben Whitehouse

Today the reality of homophobically motivated attack increases with the disturbing news of yet another homophobically motivated attack in Liverpool and the brutal murder of a young gay man in Puerto Rico, 19-year-old Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado was found decapitated, dismembered and charred on the side of an isolated road in the city of Cayey. The perpetrator who has since confessed has claimed the “Gay-Panic” defence. “Gay -Panic” is a legal term where the defendant claims that he or she has been the object of romantic or sexual advances by the victim. The defendant finds the advances so offensive and frightening that it brings on a psychotic state characterized by unusual violence. This defence has been used as a legitimate legal argument and has had the effect of reducing sentences of perpetrators guilty of homophobically motivated attacks.

"Ginger Faggot!" with thrown brick, Off Bristol Road, Birmingham, For Kai Weston

Mercado's mother Miriam Mercado released the following statement following the harrowing news: “When my son told me he was gay, I told him, ‘Now, I love you more.’ I want to tell the world that hatred is not born with human beings, it is a seed that is planted by adults and is fostered creating a climate of intolerance and violence. We must change our ways and understand that anyone could have been my son. And I want everybody to know that Jorge Steven was a very much loved son.”

"Are you a Boy or a Girl? Are you a Boy or a Girl? Are you a Boy or a Girl?" Tesco, Hurst Street , Birmingham for Kai Weston

In this context the planting on Hurst Street seems all the more relevant as a statement against gay hate crime. My Fight Continues! Special Thanks to Pink Shield, West Midlands Police, British Transport Police, and Singletons Nurseries

Flower Power

Marc Riboud

It is November 11^th a day when the symbolism of the poppy suggests that we all remember the fallen of two world wars. This well known Icon of remembrance is an evocative symbol which encourages the thoughtful to question the wisdom of war. I of course recognise the similarity with The Pansy Project and believe this adds to its strength as an artwork.

The difference however is that those young men and women who have and will die during global conflicts do so knowing the risks of their chosen career. This does not diminish the tragedy of such loss of life but simply reminds us how barbaric humanity still can be when ideologies clash. In my ongoing project I utilise the pansy as a marker of violence aimed at those simply going about their business. Over recent weeks there have been at least two 'high profile' homophobically motivated attacks a reality that still shocks the gay community. Ian Baynham was brutally attacked in Trafalgar Square in London and died as result of his injuries, a vigil was attended by four thousand people last week, a powerful symbolic show of solidarity. In Liverpool James Parkes an off duty trainee policeman was also badly beaten by a large group though thankfully appears to be on the mend.

Additionally statistics released by the police seem to indicate that reported homophobically motivated crime is on the rise, whether this is due to increased awareness due to the work the police are doing to encourage reporting or whether there is in fact an actual increase remains unclear. Some commentators have suggested that the economic downturn has had some effect, flailing economies it is suggested inflame the likelihood of crime due to the increased stress on society. Gay people it seems are just one of the groups that seem to anger the desperate and disenfranchised. Whatever the reality my forthcoming inclusion in the Shout Festival in Birmingham seems all the more relevant given the current climate of homophobia that apparently exists.

Despite my continuing interest in the peculiar nature of homophobia I am keen not to perpetuate the notion that violent homophobia is ubiquitous, I am just as interested in the complexities of social interaction generally as I am in the nature of homophobia, The Pansy Project simply reflects my own view point and experience. What has begun to interest me is that the welcome democracy of social networking sites like Face-Book and Twitter. Though potentially this could lead a casual observer to having a warped view of how prevalent violent homophobia is. Exploration of any Face-Book group that deals with homophobia, (mine included) could give the impression that all gay people are constantly battling violence from homophobes as soon as they open their front door.

Over the last few weeks with the increased publicity given to homophobia from the death of Stephen Gately and the reaction to it in The Daily Mail, the comments made by Nick Griffin on 'Question Time', not to mention the above brutal attacks I have noticed a subtle increase in my own caution and anxiety whilst navigating the city. It is this insidious perception that can become a debilitating state of being, the notion that the world is made up of violent homophobes is patently untrue. Subtle institutional and societal homophobia may be ubiquitous but I believe that the wider public's view on gayness ranges from reluctant tolerance to complete and total acceptance with violence and hatred still thankfully very much the minority.

So on this day of remembrance of those fallen at war I am considering the amazing complexity of the symbolism of a humble flower and it's ability to evoke thought and contemplation on a vast array of subjects from war to remembrance to homophobia. The above image appeared in today's Guardian Newspaper and seemed to sum up the often twee reference some have made regarding the 'Flower Power' of The Pansy Project though perhaps in today's context it makes perfect sense.

SHOUT! Birmingham, UK

From Thursday November 19th–Saturday November 21th, I will be taking The Pansy Project to Birmingham where it will be included in the SHOUT Festival: “SHOUT is Birmingham’s first ever dedicated festival by and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender community. It is a bold and ambitious festival that will include arts, sports and politics providing lots of opportunities to get involved. The festival will attract LGBT visitors from across the UK, raising the profile of the city’s lesbian and gay community and changing the way in which we are represented throughout the city.” For SHOUT, I will be planting thin lines of pansies along various points along Hurst Street, which is currently Birmingham's cultural centre for the gay community and has also been a well documented epicentre of several homophobic attacks. I am currently collating locations and details of incidents that have occurred throughout Birmingham to enable me to plant individual pansies in specific locations. If you would like to have a pansy planted for you in Birmingham then leave a comment on the blog or post a message on the Face Book group. I will also be handing out pansies on the day of the installation for those that would like to plant their own pansy. Further details of activities I'm taking part as part of the festival will follow soon!

An Anniversary Message

It is one year since the death of Michael Causer a young 18 year old gay man from Liverpool, killed simply because of his sexuality. Anniversaries can be a searingly painful experience for those bereft. Our man made delineation of time is a clumsy tool that helps divide our days and organise our world, however the seasonal changes on our planet locate our experience of time in a profoundly natural way, as familiar scents and sites evoke memories associated with past summers and springs inevitable associations arise, perhaps positive reveries of nostalgia for simpler times come to the fore though for some tragic connotations of lost loves are too painful to bare.

A Pansy Planted for Michael Causer 1989-2008

In my work with the Causer family I have been struck by their reluctant acceptance of this tragedy and their determination to promote Michael as a loved and treasured family member. A tragedy can occasionally jettison the 'victim' into martyrdom, the Causers have resisted such temptation and have painted this young and vivacious man as a normal member of society. The world wide coverage of the story has secured his name as another on a long and horrific list of those murdered for their sexual preference, and as long as The Pansy Project exists it shall help combat this reality in every way possible. My thoughts are as ever with the Causers who have embodied a humble and steadfast determination throughout this last year.

Much Love Paul Harfleet

The Pansy Project

For those able to attend there is a memorial on Sunday August 2nd:

"Please join us on the first anniversary of the death of murdered gay teenager Michael Causer at the Memorial Stone to all victims of persecution in St Johns Gardens (behind St. Georges Hall) Liverpool on Sunday 2nd August. We're meeting at 12.00 noon, and at 12.30, one year on from the exact moment of Michael's death, there will be a minute's silence, and friends and family will be invited to speak about Michael, and what he meant to them. Afterwards, we walk along Victoria Street to the Gay Quarter."

"A Thin 'Pink' Line"

Today with the support of Homotopia and The Merseyside Police I went to the family home of the Causers to plant pansies. Various locations were suggested over the last few weeks though eventually it was seen as most appropriate to plant them at Michael's childhood home. As usual I wanted to plant them in a thin line delineating an architectural feature, in this case the front garden path. I have used this similar technique in many locations, I realised that I've not fully explained why:

I see the individual plantings I make as elegiac symbols of resistance, solitary markers of an incident, sometimes relatively minor, occasionally truly horrific. In the case of larger plantings I feel that a line of thousands of pansies offers a powerful manifestation of The Pansy Project, with large plantings help is welcome and enables a community the chance to show solidarity. Usually these installations occur in municipal locations as in 'Memorial to the Unnamed' (below). Though in transferring the intervention to a domestic scale The Pansy Project becomes a personalised memorial. The Causer Family welcomed me into their home today, amongst the usual domestic detritus and décor, memorials nestle. In one corner of the living room is a large photo of Michael surrounded by flowers and candles; an alter to a lost son. My humble contribution was to plant a line of large lilac and purple pansies along the garden path in a tightly packed line in the front garden (above). This unusual method of planting augments the subtle language of gardening and for me transforms the pansies from regular garden favourite to a potent statement against homophobia.

Somewhat bizarrely this method of planting came to me in a dream. In 2005 when I was first asked to work with many pansies I was invited to place two thousand blooms outside Manchester Gallery in association with queerupnorth. Many helpers arrived at the site, laden with pansies and they looked to me for supervision. Initially they were placed in a rectangle and looked dull and lifeless, despite their zinging pinkness. Fortunately I was able to postpone the placing of the pansies until the next day. That night I dreamt of bloody battles and men at war, struggling over trenches and storming the enemy, I awoke with the phrase “thin red line” swirling around my head. The problem was solved, I saw the pansies could act as a thin 'pink' line. The metaphor seemed appropriate as each pansy became a platoon member, every one a potential sentinel in the battle to confront homophobia.

And so today the childhood home of Michael Causer became a location of solidarity and community spirit. Family and friends, neighbours and various representatives of the Police Force and community groups all gathered to plant pansies, to remember and discuss the realities of contemporary homophobia and its effects on all it touches. My thanks to all that attended and especially to the Causer clan who seem to embody the phrase 'grace under pressure'.

My research continues.....

Homotopia TV - A Pansy for Michael Causer

The Pansy Project } Family

"POOF!" Back Hilton Road, Aberdeen, planted by Theone Tait for Stuart O'Neill

On April 22nd 2009 Pink News reported that Stuart O'Neill had received homophobic abuse from his own Mother; “Celia Duncan, from Aberdeen was fined £250 for shouting homophobic abuse at her 16 year old son. Duncan admitted breaching the peace by screaming expletives and allegedly calling Stuart and his boyfriend "poofs" after she caught the pair holding hands. Duncan also admitted to sending abusive text messages. Stuart told the BBC: "I feel really betrayed by my mum. What she said to me was vile and hurtful. "My mum didn't like the fact I was gay. "She told me to stop being gay or get out of Aberdeen. She basically threw me out of the house." Cecilia Dyckhoff, prosecuting told the court: "The complainer was walking with his friend on Back Hilton Road when he saw Miss Duncan's car going past, brake suddenly, turn round and stop. "He knew it was her car and started to run away. He and his friend climbed a wall and ran through a wood and the accused chased him shouting at them, making homophobic remarks." The court was told she left a voice-mail saying: "I will get you, believe me, and you will get your head kicked in." This was followed by a text message that said "I will get you and your poof." the story continues here.

Some of the 3000 pansies planted for David Morley on The South Bank as part of LLGFF

My own mother lives near Aberdeen so I asked if she would plant a pansy at the site, she agreed to and the above photograph is documentation of the planting. This action extends the reading of the gesture that The Pansy Project is and infuses it with notions of family reparation. This particular road side is now not simply a location associated with familial disquiet and confrontation but has become a site for family collaboration and support in this case with my own mother. This perhaps contributes to balancing the still real experience many people live through when coming out as gay. I have personally been fortunate with my own family as they have collaborated with me in different ways. My step-mother is a gardener and helped project manage my contribution to the LLGFF a couple of years ago. We even managed to get a couple of my sisters (Harriet and Chloe) to help with the pansy plantings one cold morning in April 2007. Yet more family attended the 'Pansy Give Away' on the South Bank, My nephew, Charlie (8 at the time) excitedly helped water the pansies ready for distribution to the public.

The recent planting for Michael Causer that continues to reverberate through my consciousness crystallises the position gay people have within families, Michael was loved by his Mother and Father and extended family and so are many other gay people irrespective of their sexuality. Though sadly this is not a universal experience, from the real and terrifying fear of rejection that comes with 'coming out' to ones own family to the reality of governmental criminalisation of homosexuality, globally and locally it is still socially challenging to be openly gay. I hope that The Pansy Project in some small way helps reflect the communal intolerance of homophobia and I am happy that it can demonstrate the potential for familial support. My Research Continues....