For non-binary trans photographer Laurence Philomène, art, life and identity are intimately entwined. Though drawing from art history, their photographs strike a distinctive note with their pastel colours; capturing queer subjects, including Philomène themself, in restful poses, these portraits bloom in soft hues of pink, purple, blue – the full rainbow. This style seems to seep into Catherine Legault’s intimate documentary, which captures not only the artist’s creative process but also their daily life with vibrancy.
Philomène’s home, just like their work, bursts with colour. As they prepare their first book, Puberty, which documents their transition, their home doubles as a photography studio. Philomène takes pictures of ordinary rituals, from taking their daily hormone shots to a gentle cuddle with their partner in bed. At a time when non-conforming gender expression is being policed, censored and even banned, these tableaux of trans life are more radical than ever. In contrast to conservative rhetoric demonising trans people, Philomène chooses to focus on moments of joy, love and respite.
At the same time, the documentary reveals domestic worries such as a mounting to-do list and a trip to the vet. Considering the danger of existing publicly as a trans person, even these everyday routines can become a political act.
In foregrounding Philomène’s practice, Legault’s film also lays bare the limitations of traditional art and language. While Philomène’s Quebecois parents have accepted their identity, they still refer to them with feminine pronouns; French remains a highly gendered language. As if to show that change is slow to come, Legault’s film makes an effort to deviate from documentary convention, including bursts of animation that act as a playful disruption to the handheld cinematography. They may differ in terms of the medium, but both the film and Philomène’s work show an impressive capacity to transform the mundane into the profound.
• Larry (They/Them) is on True Story from 13 February.
