Tai Ericson, an artist based in Vermont, U.S.A is repurposing books from the Harry Potter collection to create a series of portraits that honour the lives of murdered trans people, as a form a protest at a time when the trans community is facing increasing hostility. The impactful pieces are created by deconstructing the pages of the books before putting them back together to form artworks depicting trans people who have lost their lives at the hands of transphobia.
The choice to use J.K. Rowling’s works is a reflection of the author’s outspoken anti-trans views. Rowling reportedly helped to fund the recent Supreme Court ruling in the UK which excludes trans women from being defined under the equality act as women, potentially also excluding them from countless public spaces if the proposed guidance is approved. What’s more, the author has also used her wealth – earned through sales of Harry Potter and franchised properties – to launch a legal fund for those fighting against trans lives in sex-based cases.
Tai’s website explains: “The author of the HP books is wildly transphobic and has contributed purposefully and relentlessly to a culture that demonizes and dehumanizes trans people.
“The portraits destroy her work, replacing it with a memorial to someone that lost their life to the culture fostered by the author.
“Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Trans rights are human rights.”
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