Nest, treasures from X, liquid leaf, handmade paper batch “Howl,” 5″ x 5″, 2017. “Howl” paper materials: SAPPHO by Alphonse Daudet, 1954 Folio Society Edition illustrated by Susan Einzig; NWSA pronoun ribbons; gold ribbon with anniversary love poem; twine that once hung champagne bottle; foil from top of champagne bottle; wishbone; labels from apple tree; glitter; fake leaves; leather harness (cut into pieces: l.o.v.e., w.o.l.f., and hearts); piece of pussy willow with thorn but no bud; plant pods and seeds found on adventures; scraps from taking it all apart, and other magic. Photo by Kate Lain, courtesy of The Huntington.Letter to X, Liquid leaf, ink, handmade paper batch “Howl,” 6” x 4.5”, 2017. Photo by Kate Lain, courtesy of The Huntington. Letter to unnamed friends, gold leafing pen, ink, handmade paper batch “Reprint,” 9” x 6”, 2017. “Reprint” paper materials: SAPPHO by Alphonse Daudet, Edition illustrée, French Edition, Paperback, April 25, 2017; saved tissue paper; fake rose petals; toenails. Photo by Kate Lain, courtesy of The Huntington.Gallery View: What You Love in Collection/s: WCCW/five at The Huntington, 2018. Left: Rare archival materials from The Huntington’s collections document lesbian history via the work of Olga Nethersole who was persecuted for her 1900 rendition of Sappho. Searching for Nethersole’s lover and love story in the archives inspired this project. Middle: Interactive element in which visitors are invited to share their queer love stories on handmade paper. They may peruse and handle the lesbian library on loan from F.L.O.W. (The Feminist Library on Wheels) and Loveday’s personal collection of lesbian pulp. Right: A collection case holds letters and objects made by Loveday soliciting responses, including letters to her father (with his reply), Hillary Clinton, unnamed friends, and Loveday’s ex-fiancé. Materials donated to the project hang on the back of the case, including love poems, love notes, testimonies, and other ephemera documenting queer love in the present.Letters in progress, What You Love is an ongoing project. “Lesbian pulp,” liquid leaf, and ink, varying paper batches and sizes. Photo by Kate Lain, courtesy of The Huntington.
What You Love, is an ongoing epistolary project that involves sending handmade love letters to public figures and private individuals to solicit and collect queer love stories. Ideally, it is exhibited with a participatory component so that visitors can leave their own love stories as part of the project. This interactive set-up can be flexible in scale and presentation as would suit different spaces. The resultant archive of over 250 responses includes written testimonies, collections of love letters, poems, and cherished objects.
What You Love was developed in residency at The Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens in Los Angeles in collaboration with The Feminist Center for Creative Work. It was initially exhibited in The Virginia Scott Galleries of American Art at The Huntington in the group show Collections curated by Jenny Watts, alongside the work of Olivia Chumacero, Sarita Dougherty, Jheanelle Garriques, Zya S. Levy, Soyoung Shin, and Juliana Wisdom.
What You Love has also exhibited in the Advocate + Gochis Galleries at the Los Angeles LGBT Center in the group show Womxn on Womxn curated by Erin Adams and Essence Harden alongside the work of Cleonette Harris, Xandra Ibarra, Young Joon Kwak, Liss LaFleur, Adee Roberson, Ashley Teamer, Tia Thompson, Leila Weefur and Lorna Williams.
Kiki Loveday 