ME: portraits of transgenders

Exhibition from 8 October till 31 October 2018 at TU Delft Library

The exhibit “ME” shows portraits of transgenders of two worlds, the European world and the Surinamese world.Each portrait holds three images of one person: 1 image before the transformation, 1 image after the transformation and 1 image from the fantasy of the same transformed person. This method, a portrait with three images combined into one, is called lenticular. The visitor of the exhibit will have to look carefully at each portrait to prevent leaving the exhibit in confusion, hopefully with a new view and understanding of transgenders. This same confusion takes place in the daily life of a large group of young individuals in Suriname.

The LGBT community in Suriname has trouble finding a connection in society, in particular: transgenders. 2017 appears to be the right time, considering the worldwide development on this subject, to also work on this development in Suriname. West-Europe and the United States of America are the frontrunners in this area and the connection between the LGBT community and society becomes smaller.

In this society there’s a lot of confusion and incomprehension for the LGBT-community and in particular: transgenders. Society is already reasonably used to gays, lesbians and bisexuals, but has a hard time accepting transgenders. Because of this, this group becomes more vulnerable and less likely to be accepted by society.Parea Suriname, Urban House and the photographer Kenneth Heesbien worked together to put together the Exhibit “ME”.

Colophon

Curator/Photographer: Kenneth Heesbien
Partners: Parea Suriname & Urban House Suriname

The exhibition is part of TU Delft's activities around Coming Out Day on 11 October. Full programme: <link en about-tu-delft working-at-tu-delft coming-to-the-netherlands-tu-delft good-reasons-to-work-at-tu-delft diversity-inclusion coming-out-day-tu-delft _blank>www.tudelft.nl/cod