Curator of FEMME, Brooke Hailey Hoffert, welcomed us to an exhibition forged through collaborative efforts with artist and filmmaker María José Maldonado presenting ‘My Fierce Aunt Bianca’, at Strangefield, Glasgow.  

Housed behind a black curtain, Hoffert starts the session off with advising us to first watch the incredibly informative short documentary aptly titled ‘My Fierce Aunt Bianca’, 2023, produced by Maldonado who happens to be Bianca’s niece. Through interviews with those who were close family and friends this short film aims to honour her Aunt’s life. Watching provided raw experience evaluating deep familial grief, and the injustice inflicted on the many queer people who lost their lives during the AIDs crisis—of which Bianca was one. In a particular section of the documentary, it shows a party that was held for Bianca’s 57th birthday vibrant with music, stories, and even a birthday cake. Tears were shed in celebration of the life of Bianca but also the sadness of what could have been if she hadn’t been taken so soon.

The archive pieces that belonged to Bianca— brought over from America by María José—emanated with the past life of her Aunt. These cases held the spirit of her power and grit. Now encapsulated behind the glass, safe guarded for the future, protected from being lost forever, preserved for what will become a tangible archive of her life.

Hoffert shared with the group the importance of creating space within Queer history as well as archives for Transgender people. Outlining the few existing objects and ephemera steeped in state violence; medical and death records erasing gender identities, photographs from criminal records and police surveillance; or, estranged/unaccepting families who destroyed personal belongings. This exhibition and the work of Hoffert and Maldonado have set a precedent for other transcestor archives.

Within the exhibition Bianca is captured in time within the short repeated clips of her day time television appearances – her face, voice and personality can be felt through the streaks of retro colours, and the slight VHS static. ‘Power to me’, Bianca claps back in one of the interviews. Bianca is power, Bianca is resistance.

This session held space for us to remember, to celebrate and to learn from the lives of our transcestors. Channelled through Bianca, this session was one of processing histories and futures. Maldonado also spoke with us, the radiance of her life’s work to share her fierce Aunt’s story is one of care, admiration, and dedication. This exhibition invited us to reflect and think beyond linear understandings of grief and to consider how past lives, experiences, and struggles continue to inform our futures.

We would like to thank Brooke Hailey Hoffert of FEMME Gallery for making this such a special and fun session for August and María José Maldonado for visiting the session and sharing their work with the group.

This exhibition was also in collaboration with Glasgow Electrolysis Project who are fundraising to train and equip a transfem electrolysist in Glasgow! Electrolysis is a kind of hair removal often done as part of a trans woman’s transition. Electrolysis is a luxury for almost everyone else, and it’s priced like it. But for a lot of trans women, it’s part of the fee to get to go out into society. We’re gearing the set-up towards this, with tiered pricing and less luxury brandings. Receiving electrolysis from another trans woman can help lower the psychological barriers to access for many trans women – especially for intimate areas or where there are other medical conditions.

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Stay tuned for further [synonym] sessions.