Our next “Femme Voices” feature is Alex Farr, a multi-faceted artist who uses various mediums to express the intersection between femininity, queerness, and blackness and their own identity. For them, art is a way to explore how we view ourselves and find new ways to love and appreciate who we are. Alex’s collages, in particular, caught my eye with the way they capture the female form and all of its intricacy and beauty. Alex’s use of different means of expression allows them to bring their passion to many different audiences and increase visibility in spaces where representation is lacking or unrealistically uniform. Read on to learn more about this incredible artist and their work!

Please introduce yourself. What is your name? Where are you located? What are your pronouns and how do you identify? 

My name is Alex Farr, I’m a Philly based artist. I use they/them pronouns and identify as non-binary.

You are an artist who creates using various mediums. Can you tell us a bit about that? Is there anything else that you do? 

I work in poetry, theater, visual arts (collage), and music. Theater is what I studied in undergrad and when I moved to NY, I went straight into assistant directing and then directing. I’d say, however, I’m primarily a playwright. My last big NY creation was a one-act that I co-wrote/directed/performed called “Holding: A queer black love story.” It premiered on Valentine’s Day, 2017, at Here Arts Center as part of a series called SANCTUARY. We had two more performances after that, one at Hampshire college and then another in Brooklyn as part of a summer community programming organized by BUFU collective.

After our final show in Brooklyn, I decided to move to Philly to reflect. I kind of hit the ground running after graduating and didn’t have the chance to really think whether or not the NYC theater scene was what I wanted to be a part of.

Collaging is my most recent artistic endeavor, which partly grew out of “Holding.” As part of the playmaking process, we made collage images that captured the essence of the play. These collages went on to become our promotional images.

I’m still in the exploration part of my art journey, trying and learning new mediums to find what I like. I’ve been singing since grade school but I picked up the guitar after moving to Philly. I used to think that I couldn’t write songs, I was like, “it does not compute.” But one day I just decided to try. Before, I was trying to put poetry to music. Now, I write with my guitar first and the words come after. When I gave up the rigid idea of what a song is supposed to be, I was free to create from a more organic place.

Poetry is the longest love of my life. Maybe, ultimately, I am a poet — that is where my voice resides — and what changes is the mode of expressing that poetic voice.

How long have you been creating? How and why did you start?

I am very fortunate. I have been creating my whole life and I have my parents (mostly my mom) to thank for that. As far back as kindergarten, I remember taking a pottery class from this beautiful, brown-skinned, dreadlocked man. That was out in Queens somewhere.

Arts and crafts have always been a part of my life, my education. There was never really a “why” behind creating. It’s as embedded in my identity as learning how to speak. Art is how I express myself. It’s who I am.

In your bio you say you are “…passionate about art that… ceaselessly aims to expand the definition of femininity, queerness, and queer blackness…” The many different ways that one can express femininity, queerness, and Blackness is something that The Glam Femme also seeks to explore. In what ways does art help you to express and understand your own multi-dimensional identity?

It’s an emotional release and there are a whole lot of emotions tied to being black, non-binary, DFAB (“Designated Female at Birth”). With art, in a very literal sense, I can explore changing my body. Collage is particularly empowering because it is the breaking down of media representations and then reimagining them in ways that align with who I am.

I validate my own existence through art and hopefully validate those who identify with me. There is a freedom of body expression and experimentation and the possibilities are limitless.

Also, drawing a figure is a very intimate act. When I draw myself — in moments when I feel dysphoric — I feel like I am loving with myself. I am giving all parts of my body appreciation and attention. If you ever get the chance to take a figure drawing class, do it!

Does what you do make you feel like a part of a bigger community? If so, what is your biggest/most important contribution to this community, even if it is a work in progress?

The process of making art can be very isolating. If it’s music, poetry, collage, or theater, I’m usually in my own space when I’m creating. It’s a solo act. But the act of sharing, that’s when I feel connected.

The most I can offer is myself, my story, the vision that exists in my own mind, my identity. I think that is my most important contribution and it is always a work in progress.

What struggles related to your intersectional experience do you face and how do you overcome them?

Visibility. I oscillate between feeling hyper-visible or invisible. Not all representations of blackness I can relate to, not all representations of queerness I can relate to. But I feel like there is this assumption — functioning under the oppressive ideology of blackness (or queer, or queer and black) as a monolithic identity — that if it is queer, black, and femme I will connect with it.

Beyond representation, we need a diversity of representation. And an acknowledgment and celebration of our differences. To paraphrase Alok Vaid-Menon, there are as many experiences of being a woman as there are women in the world. So there are as many experiences of being black, queer and black, queer black and non-binary, as there are queer, black, and non-binary people in the world.

I think the main way I overcome this is by validating my own experience, especially in the moments when I don’t feel like I can relate to representations of parts of my identity.

What is your favorite or most effective self-care method?

Meditation. Taking naps when I need them. Practicing self-compassion. Seeing a therapist. Taking care of my mental health is paramount. I really want to dispel the myth that we must suffer for our art. You can take care of yourself and make art. If anything, art is the release. Self-expression, creation – that is self-love.

What are you most proud of about yourself and what you have accomplished?

I don’t and will never give up on myself. I think a large part of being successful as an artist is not giving up – to keep trying. I’ve made a commitment to believe in myself. It’s definitely not easy but it is so, so worth it.

Do you have any upcoming projects or goals?

Right now, I am working on applying to an MFA program at Pratt Institute. I’m also working on recording some music. I have many project ideas but they probably won’t come to fruition for a couple of years. Be on the look-out!

How can we see your work/contact you/etc.?

You can find me on Instagram @justmadnice, or reach out to me through my website @ alexfarr.me.