Shi Tingo

My childhood in an volatile Irish Catholic home ingrained a reflex of repression and self-loathing. The result of these conditioned behaviors of fear and concealment made it complicated to embrace the idea of exploring domestic settings so openly, in both my private self and the homes I portray in my creative practice. Throughout my bodies of work I invite the viewer to invade my home, crossing the barriers of what happens under the household's roof. My work puts a spotlight on the shame and fear I felt while growing up and by confronting the issues, I begin to strip them of any power/hold they once held over me.

Self-evaluation is an important role in the making of my art. Being a queer identifying non-binary individual, I started to have intense anxieties and dysphoria/dysmorphia when it came to my body as soon as puberty struck. Throughout my art I confront issues pertaining to gender identity/sexuality, repressed memories, and childhood traumas. By directing the viewer’s gaze to my own private delicate concerns, I’ve turned the pieces into a subject of scrutiny, similar to the judgment placed onto myself. My work confronts the shame I felt while growing up as a queer adolescent in a strict Catholic home, while hiding the heavy burdens and parts of myself from the ones I cared for due to the fear of rejection. The creating process has become a triumph of exposing what I consider vulnerable to the public eye and coming to terms with the self-loathing I placed on my body while growing up, while also experimenting with various materials and methods. Whether it be a photo series or sculpture installation, I invite the viewer to be aware of the privacy they are unveiling while also being compelled to step further into the household narrative.