Tag Archives: Gieza Poke

Fire and Water Crowns: A Sacred Heart and Waves of Love for Queer Berlin

Fire and Water UV resin and holographic vinyl crowns by Suzanne Forbes July 2020I made these two crowns during June and July, which feels like a century ago.

I am continuing my materials experiments with iridescent and holographic polymers, from holo vinyl to Angelina Fantasy Film. As well as UV resin!

Fire and Water UV resin and holographic vinyl crowns by Suzanne Forbes July 2020The wave crown is made of holographic vinyl, cut into waves and shaped.

The vinyl is curved around a floral wire frame which has Angelina Fantasy Film melted onto it.

Fire and Water UV resin and holographic vinyl crowns by Suzanne Forbes July 2020 blueThen I added loops of wired beads and lots of opalescent crystals.

Experimenting with sparkling substances is something much closer to play than drawing or painting ever is for me.

Fire UV resin and Angelina Fantasy Film crown by Suzanne Forbes July 2020There is a fluidity in the process of using materials that are themselves changeant.

I also love not knowing what I’m doing or if it is gonna work! It may seem silly, but working on these projects allows me to access flow state or what Keats calledNegative Capability“.

A poet, then, has the power to bury self-consciousness, dwell in a state of openness to all experience, and identify with the object contemplated.

Gieza Poke in crowns by Suzanne Forbes June 2020I need to handle these materials, I want these beautiful items to exist, but I don’t need to keep them once they’re in the world!

So many of my mixed media projects this summer were donated to queer Berlin fundraiser raffles. I am adding value to the Berlin Queerconomy in every way I can!

Gieza Poke has done most of the raffles, on the live twitchstream of  Gieza‘s Poke House in Quarantine. She made awesome and hilarious videos to promote them! Beautiful Keili won the wave crown, which was so perfect! Gieza wore the fire crown for the last Quarantine show.

Fire and Water UV resin and holographic vinyl crowns by Suzanne Forbes July 2020 outsideYou can see the archive of the five months of quarantine shows, all of which were livestreamed, here, under the VIDEOS tab of Gieza’s twitch account,

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons‘ support of my mixed media artwork, the place I feel safest with evolving and experimenting. It’s what I do instead of vacation 🙂 !

Fire UV resin and Angelina Fantasy Film crown by Suzanne Forbes July 2020 cu

The very last Poke House and House of Presents in Quarantine (for now!)

Pansy for Pansys House of Presents in Quarantine Aug 18 2020 by Suzanne ForbesPansy didn’t put on any drag for the last night of House of Presents in Quarantine.

She just appeared as herself, hot and tired after spending the day – GETTING PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN GERMANY! And there is other great news for the HoP crew.

Live, in-person Drag shows begin again at beloved Queer Berlin institution Monster Ronson’s on September 8! You can get tickets (they must be bought in advance and there are stringent protocols to follow) here.

House of Presents poster Fall 2020So the digital drag shows that have helped to support the incredible, intersectional cast of the House of Presents and Gieza‘s Poke House have come to an end.

As much as I have loved these shows – they have been so crucial to my sanity and that of so many others- I know performers need a stage and these beautiful creatures can’t thrive without an IRL audience.

I want the Queens and Quings and Drag Things of HoP and the Poke House to do what they love most! Pansy and Gieza plan to stream the IRL shows, and are working on how to do that, so I look forward to seeing these some of these amazing folx return to their home stage.

I am incredibly grateful to Pansy and Gieza for the work they did these five months, providing a virtual community and psychic anchor when so much else in Berlin was shut down.

Gieza Poke final Poke House in Quarantine Aug 18 2020 by Suzanne ForbesGieza Poke wore a Sacred Heart crown I made for her final digital show!

She came by our flat one more time to collect raffle prizes, and I gave her a box of mermaid jewels to give away to Berlin’s queer community. I have loved being able to contribute value to the Berlin Queerconomy this way!

If you look here, under the VIDEOS tab of Gieza’s twitch account, you can see so many incredible Quarantine performances.

Gieza Poke in Sacred Heart Crown by Suzanne Forbes on Aug 18 2020Here’s Gieza in her crown!

It was actually August 18, the date wasn’t updated! You can see us babbling supportively in the chat. I showed up for every single show!

 

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support lets me keep documenting Berlin’s international, intersectional performers while I work safely at home.