PulseArt
CATH HEAD * SUE VINCENT MARSHALL * BETH HUDSON * FRAN MARNO
PULSE ART
Pulse Art is an Auckland based group, formed in 1999. We were a group of 4 lesbian artists, Fran Marno, Dorina Jotti, Justina Groeber and Miriam Saphira, wanting to have a way of expressing our identity without constantly arguing for it. This wasn’t an intentional political act although we are very aware that ‘the personal is political’, nor was it a deliberate act of separatism, but rather a desire to exhibit together in a comfortable and safe space. We wanted greater lesbian visibility. Even so, some in the group found using the word ‘lesbian’ was fraught for them. We chose the name PulseArt (finger on the pulse) as it referred to our intent to address historical and current issues of importance to our lesbian community.
We’ve exhibited mainly in Auckland but also in Hamilton, Wellington and Sydney.
The group dynamic has changed over the years and there are still four of us although Fran Marno is the only one from the original group. Others to join the group early on, in 2003 were Beth Hudson and Sue Marshall. Cath Head joined in 2013.
Our reason for being a lesbian group remains the same; identity is important to us.
Harmony Hammond says: ‘To name is to make present. If you do not name, you do not have a cultural history and if you don’t have a cultural history you do not exist.’
Some labels are more acceptable than others. Identity politics is now seen as anachronistic. Our desire to maintain it in our current climate of ‘equality’ has often been seen as unnecessary when we’ve achieved so much. We feel strongly that without asserting our identity we will disappear.
Labels exist. As lesbians we exist. Our art is an important vehicle for claiming who we are – for labeling ourselves ‘lesbian’. It speaks out for us.
We’ve exhibited mainly in Auckland but also in Hamilton, Wellington and Sydney.
The group dynamic has changed over the years and there are still four of us although Fran Marno is the only one from the original group. Others to join the group early on, in 2003 were Beth Hudson and Sue Marshall. Cath Head joined in 2013.
Our reason for being a lesbian group remains the same; identity is important to us.
Harmony Hammond says: ‘To name is to make present. If you do not name, you do not have a cultural history and if you don’t have a cultural history you do not exist.’
Some labels are more acceptable than others. Identity politics is now seen as anachronistic. Our desire to maintain it in our current climate of ‘equality’ has often been seen as unnecessary when we’ve achieved so much. We feel strongly that without asserting our identity we will disappear.
Labels exist. As lesbians we exist. Our art is an important vehicle for claiming who we are – for labeling ourselves ‘lesbian’. It speaks out for us.
