Saša is an artist who is increasingly involved in the field of human rights, identity work and activism. According to him, visual thinking accompanied him throughout his life, so it is not surprising that after finishing school, he entered the Vilnius Academy of Arts.
“I’ve been drawing all my life – visuality has been important to me since I was young. Often during the lessons I paid more attention to filling sketchbooks than to the subject, so it was natural that I started to study graphics. At that time, this direction seemed the most relevant to me – a large part of my studies was taken up by illustration, and I wanted to link my future with that,” says Saša.
According to the artist, he had imagined since his first year that he would connect his final bachelor’s thesis with the theme of identity. His thoughts became flesh in the project “Trans Mythology”, in which Sasha examined the damage of dehumanization to the identity of a transgender person, sought to highlight the social and political aspects of transgenderism.
“I also touched on human rights during my studies, I did not want to move away from them even after graduating from the academy. At that time, I was working a lot with the old-fashioned woodcarving technique, which I associated with the Middle Ages and various mythical creatures. For example, the unicorn, a prominent symbol in the LGBTQIA+ community, or the devil, which I associated with demonized transgender people. I especially wanted to look at the latter sarcastically, with humor. When you apply this negative symbol to yourself, it does the opposite – empowering.
I continued to work on these topics after starting my master’s studies, and this was one of the research questions. It may sound controversial, why the rights of the transgender community are less supported than the rights of animals,” the artist observes.
The fact that it is still difficult for transgender people to live with dignity in Lithuania was also revealed this year by the Status of Transgender Persons in Lithuania published by the Office of the Equal Opportunities Controller. overview.
Photo by Janina Sabaliauskaitė/Saša Kochan
You want to open the world of contemporary art
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Saša says that although it is common to imagine that every artist dreams of exhibiting his works in exhibitions, his relationship with his work has become somewhat different over time.
“Back when we were studying, we were always reminded that you would be able to hold exhibitions. At first, I imagined that I would show my work in exhibitions, that I would follow the “traditional” path of an artist. However, later I realized that, at least for now, the format of the exhibition just “doesn’t stick” to me, – says the artist. “It’s easier for me to act in other ways – participate in discussions, conversations, contribute to social actions and the like.”
The artist emphasizes that his work does not have one common goal, and today it is especially important for him to join community activities and answer certain questions.
“It is more important for me to work with local initiatives, for example, creating visuals for the association Trans Autonomija, Vilnius Pride 2023, Kaunas Pride, Sapfo Fest.” I don’t get much financial reward from it, but the most important thing for me is that it helps the community.
I tend to contribute to activities that are often unafraid to be political, which is essential for bringing about change in the area of human rights. It is this open politics, specific actions among artists and in society in general that I really miss. It is a pity that the necessary changes cannot be brought about yet.
To be honest, I would like to create more, but now is the period when I have to put everything in the drawers, understand in what ways I want to make sense of myself, how I want to present myself – this is also related to identity issues.”
It is easy to explain to the uninitiated
Speaking about his gender identity, Saša says that while still maturing, he began to realize that he doesn’t fit into society’s usual biological gender labels: “Even when I present myself as a transgender man, I feel limited to some extent. I don’t like to describe myself in these categories, it seems to me that it doesn’t fully reveal me.”
The artist reveals that the most difficult stages for him were in his teens and until the end of his studies, when he began to speak out loud about his identity.
Personal archive photo/Saša Kochan. Me and who, 2022
“Since this is not a topic that is talked about a lot in Lithuania, and if it is, it is usually not in a good way, so it was very difficult for me as a teenager, even if I already had the right words to name this feeling. I didn’t fully feel like myself even after entering the academy, because at first I just asked to be called by another name, and I didn’t dare to confess about the other part of my identity at the time,” says Saša.
The artist notes that he faced certain challenges at the academy as soon as he revealed himself to those around him: “At that time, I was particularly affected by being called by the wrong pronouns, and it was not easy for the teachers to adapt.” It was really not fun when I tried to introduce myself with male pronouns, and the professors would address me as female after I didn’t understand. It’s true, it happens quite rarely now.”
Saša adds that despite such isolated cases, the Lithuanian artist community is more open towards transgender people. True, he misses the activism of transgender artists.
“More often among artists, I do not encounter discrimination, but ignorance of how to talk about transgenderism, the terminology is also outdated. However, I am already used to it, and it is not difficult for me to explain it, although sometimes it is tiring.
More often among artists, I do not encounter discrimination, but ignorance of how to talk about transgenderism.
Still, talking is very important, but I would like that responsibility to fall not only on trans people. I notice more and more that transgenderism and issues of gender identity are more often explored in theater and other art disciplines, but I miss the involvement and inclusion of the local community, which is partly understandable to me – being yourself openly can be simply unsafe, and being a transgender artist in Lithuania or otherwise associated himself with the world of art is an even rarer combination,” says the artist.
He feels that the further he goes, the more difficult it is for him to create and in this creative medium he feels quite alone, although he has the support of those around him. Year after year, the unchanged situation in relation to the LGBTQIA+ community in Lithuania makes me feel quite negative and, unfortunately, no longer in a creative sense.
Try not to pay attention
Talking about the feeling of insecurity, Saša adds that although he usually felt this way about a decade ago, certain incidents provoke this feeling more and more today.
“Gender norms are not important to me, I do not actively try to meet the criterion of masculinity or femininity in terms of appearance. I often find this confusing to people.
Gender norms are not important to me, I do not actively try to meet the criterion of masculinity or femininity in terms of appearance.
Recently there was such an incident when a group of guys asked me for a cigarette: “Miss, miss.” I answered in my male voice that I didn’t have one, and one of the men, probably more expecting a female voice, became aggressive. The story ended well, because I realized that I had to get away from them as soon as possible. But the feeling remained.
Occasionally, people react even more negatively when they hear a “masculine” voice and see clothes that do not match that voice,” says the interviewer.
The artist emphasizes that after all these years he has already managed to get used to such reactions from others.
“For example, sometimes I’m walking down the street with a friend, and she says to me: ‘Did you see how those people looked at you?’ Even when I’m doing an interview, I make a special effort not to look at the comments. However, seeing something is not fun. It seems that as soon as people see the word “transgender”, they stop thinking, block themselves and look at it only negatively”, says Saša.
Personal archive photo/Saša Kochan. Princes on white horses, 2022
At the end, when asked if creativity can change people’s attitudes, Saša tends to hesitate: “Sometimes it’s hard to believe that art can change something. Especially when a significant part of society is quite conservative. In general, the question is how to get her interested, not necessarily in art. It seems that everything is changing and progressing in the art bubble, but when you step outside of it, people don’t want to see certain things.
I would like to create art that is less understandable to the general public, and show anger, but for many it is rather repulsive, and I do not want to be closed only in the community of artists. How to reconcile art intended for a wider part of society and action in the professional world of contemporary art, I still can’t find the answer.”
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#Artist #Saša #word #transgender #people #stop #digging #block #Culture
2024-09-12 15:35:50
Saša Kochan: The Artist Fighting for Human Rights and Identity
Saša Kochan, a Lithuanian artist, has made a name for himself in the field of human rights, identity work, and activism. With a passion for visual thinking, Saša’s artistic journey began at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, where he explored the theme of identity in his final bachelor’s thesis project, “Trans Mythology.” This project examined the damage of dehumanization to the identity of a transgender person, highlighting the social and political aspects of transgenderism.
Visual Thinking and Identity
Saša’s fascination with visual thinking started at a young age. He always paid more attention to filling sketchbooks than to the subject matter during lessons. This natural inclination led him to study graphics, which seemed like the most relevant direction for his future. Saša’s work often involves woodcarving techniques, which he associates with the Middle Ages and mythical creatures. He uses humor to tackle negative symbols, like the devil, which are often associated with demonized transgender people.
Community Activism and Human Rights
Unlike many artists who dream of exhibiting their work in exhibitions, Saša’s relationship with his art has evolved over time. He now prioritizes participating in discussions, conversations, and contributing to social actions. Saša emphasizes the importance of working with local initiatives, such as creating visuals for the association Trans Autonomija, Vilnius Pride 2023, Kaunas Pride, and Sapfo Fest. Although he doesn’t receive significant financial rewards, he believes that his work helps the community.
Gender Identity and Self-Expression
Saša openly discusses