To celebrate Pride Month 2024, I invited artist Kathy Murillo to hold her exhibition Queer Figures at the Tavistock Centre in London. The artworks mixed the playful with the profound, using a variety of forms, colours and patterns. Some of the titles made a delightful use of wordplay (DiverCity, E‑Queer-Lity) to twist familiar words and make us see the world through a refreshed perspective.

Kathy also joined us online for an interview to talk about her art practice, the relevance of Pride, being queer at a workplace, pronouns and more.

 

Kathy as a queer artist

You define yourself as “an ever-evolving queer, feminist Venezuelan-Dutch artist whose work spans a diverse range of mediums and themes”. Can you tell us a bit more about your career as a visual artist?

I did study art and I graduated as a professional artist, but I feel like we’re all artists. I don’t separate myself from my ‘artist’ self. I’m surviving by creating art. What I do is based on my necessity to create, to deal with my own trauma, to analyze myself, and also to talk about collective problems I see around me, which may or may not affect me directly. The way I develop my art is to be as active as possible.

Art can really help change the world, and needs to be seen as a tool to work towards it. I’m trying to create that awareness in children, reach out to museums and open doors to a bigger audience. I believe that art is the answer to a lot of questions.

 

Are there any queer artists that you admire or who have influenced you in your work?

Audre Lorde is very inspiring, and Bell Hooks. I listen to a lot of books which talk not only about queer struggle, but also pleasure, pride, and visibility in a more joyful way.

 

What is the relevance and importance of Pride to you as a queer artist?

It has an important history behind it, having started as a protest in New York. Queer people were just asking for their rights, and then things started to change. A lot has gotten better, but we’re still struggling in some areas. Some rights are taken for granted – there’s always a risk that they can be taken away. And in some countries, it is a crime to be queer. Pride Month is an opportunity to remind the world about this, as well as to celebrate and feel proud.


DiverCity; Learned Mirá

Being queer at a workplace

Creative sector is often regarded as a welcoming, open-minded safe space where LGBT+ artists can thrive. Would you say that it’s an accurate perception?

When I was at the academy, I noticed that it is a very safe space. People really try to learn and work with inclusivity and diversity in mind. But as soon as you leave that bubble, you notice that the world is still very much behind. I know that there are many opportunities that are not offered to queer artists. This is also the case with people of colour. There is visibility, but the progress isn’t as fast and fluid as it may seem.

 

In terms of pronouns, yours are she/they. How can we encourage more people to share their preferred pronouns in workplace environment and beyond?

It is not easy for everyone to be mindful of pronouns. We grew up in a society where we’ve had the male/female binarity pushed upon us. But this concept is getting broader. Just like we’re adapting to new technologies, we should adapt our language to create safe spaces. It’s important that everyone feels safe and has empathy towards others at a workplace. The first way to do that is to clearly state your pronouns in your email signature. It’s a small thing that creates visibility and makes other people do the same.

 

How can one be a good ally at work?

For a start, you can make your pronouns seen. Also, you can start using a more inclusive language, without assuming someone’s gender. For example, use a word like ‘partner’ instead of ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’. If you’re not keen on using they/them, just ask what the pronouns are. Be curious and ask questions.


Searching Mi Lugar; Only Because

Kathy on the justice system

You’re such a busy artist, and actually have not one, but two exhibitions running in London this month.

Yes, aside from Queer Figures, I have a solo show called Own Justice at ST.ART Gallery. It’s about resilience and turning suffering into empowerment. In one section of the show I’m connecting with my female ancestors. There are 28 pieces: sculpture, video work, paintings, prints.

There is a sculpture at the front which is very important. It’s a constructive critique of the way the justice system in the Netherlands addresses the issue of sexual abuse. It presents a witness in a court whose brain is being hit with a judge’s hammer, a gavel. It’s based on my personal experience with the Dutch police, when I was trying to make a report and it was dismissed by them. It’s a huge collective problem that’s not even reflected in any statistics. I’ve done research, and it’s a problem not only in the Netherlands and the UK, but also in many other countries. Through my work, I’m trying to spread the word.

 

Did you have any push backs on that? I imagine some people might disagree with such a strong stance.

I invited police officers to my exhibition so that they can see the piece, and they did not disagree. They said they knew about the problem, but couldn’t do anything about it. I told them it’s wrong to hide it from the society. In the end, I didn’t feel the piece got the attention it deserved. Also, I didn’t feel supported by the university where I made this piece. I felt a bit like I’m being silenced.


Sketch of “Suffering of Venus”; E‑Queer-Lity

Visit Kathy’s website and follow her on Instagram.