A Conversation with Renée

What inspired you to pursue art?

It wasn’t a choice, really. It’s something that’s vital to my mental wellbeing. It’s my greatest passion in life. But if I had to guess where it started, I would say that my mother and grandmother fostered a reverence for art from a very young age. I used to read all kinds of books when I was little where a group of mice would go to the museum and see all these famous works of art. I dreamed of seeing them, and then when I had the opportunities to go to the Louvre and then later the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, I found myself starstruck by some of the pieces I had been seeing in art books since I was very small.

What artistic styles do you gravitate towards?

I have always been inspired by the work of surrealists like Magritte, with his creative repetitive imagery, like secret symbolic code, and Kahlo, because I especially am drawn to the vulnerability in her work. So there is an element of surrealistic influence in my work, but no matter how hard I’ve tried to fight it, impressionistic influences have always seeped into my work. As well as classic art being an interest of mine, I have always been fascinated by before-the-common-era cultures and mythology. You’ll see that especially in some of my poems. Just the influence of classical Greek works and Ancient Egyptian culture.

Let’s talk about your performance art and costume work. What influences you in that aspect of your art?

I think, as a gender non-conforming person living in the current political climate, it’s important to bring a level of queer joy to my performances. That’s something that no amount of legislation can take away from us. The transgender community has always been here, and sometimes we have had to dim our shine for our own safety, but in safe spaces like on a stage surrounded by chosen family, we can be free. Sometimes, I take my performances in a political direction, because I think presenting issues in that way is powerful, but sometimes ecstatic dance and love is enough of a protest in itself.