‘equal but not’ art project shines a light on LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex) inequality in Australia. Held at FernArtz studio 14th – 29th October 2017
Opening of Equal But Not pictures by Helen Childs and Ursula Dutkiewicz
Handmade limited edition booklet -Four were made – and online version
Fern-Smith-EqualbutNot-online-booklet-2017
Equal But Not by Fern Smith is a scrolled book pasted onto the wall as part of the drying process where you bind the cover to the work. It is broken into four parts for the web display.
Threads and Gardens by Fern Smith a scrolled book pasted onto the wall as part of the drying process where you bind the cover to the work. It is broken into four parts for the web display.
Hash tag images for 2016 Federal Election in Australia
My focus is with older LGBTI people. Mannie De Saxe and Kendall Lovett, are two active older LGBTI human rights activists. They are my models and willing participants for the project. Please share and /or leave a comment.
Background: ‘equal but not.’ Is a mock marketing campaign. It is the creative response to the social paradigm surrounding the Australian Commonwealth Government’s Same-Sex Relationship bill adopted in 2009. The overarching intention of the bill was to remove same sex discrimination.
Ironically the bill (in particular, the lack of an appropriate adjustment time or ‘grandfather’ clause) which placed many same sex couples in financial hardship – further compounding social and economic isolation and this continues today.
During the introduction of the Bill two parallel and opposing campaigns were launched:
1) equal rights campaigners Mannie De Saxe and Kendall Lovett furiously lobbied the government to include a ‘grandfather’ clause to no avail, through their website http://www.josken.net/inters8.htm and
2) ‘Removing Same Sex Discrimination’ Campaign by the Leo Burnett Agency commissioned by Centrelink – which represented same sex couples as a pair of toothbrushes and green towels.
The contrast between the heroic efforts of equal rights campaigners and the absurdity of the Centrelink campaign informs the premise of a new visual arts based work ‘equal but not’. Mannie De Saxe and Kendall Lovett worked tirelessly to try and get, the then Labor government, to put in a grandfather clause to the legislation.
Equal but not art project will be broken into three
Part 1: Slogans and metaphors and hashtagging
Promotion: (Slogans & Metaphors): ‘equal but not’ to be developed into a series of titled photographs of Mannie De Saxe and Kendall Lovett who have agreed to be the ‘couple’ wearing ‘joint string rings’ – a metaphor for tying the knot, these images will be hash-tagged and posted on social media sites.
The secondary aim is to garner support for the project to enable securing funding for the project to produce Part two and Three.
FYI (For your information)
The Models
To find out more about Mannie De Saxe and Kendall Lovett and their activism go to: http://www.josken.net
Meanings
A Bill is a proposal for a law or a change to an existing law.’ www.aph.gov.au
An Act is when the Bill is passed through both houses and is The words of assent used by the Governor-General are: “In the name of Her Majesty, I assent to this Act.” www.aph.gov.au
Legislation consists of Acts of Parliament The term legislation can refer to a single law (also known as a statute) or a collection of laws. www.legislation.sa.gov.au/
