Art - Youth - Celebration

Earlier this year, the ‘Being the Artist I Am…’ competition was launched in celebration of the life of Northern Irish trans artist, Jordan Howe, who passed away 10 years ago. Young trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people from all over the country entered, with James Hudson speaking to the winner and two shortlistees about their art and how creativity impacts their lives.

In 2014, a post on GagaDaily.com announced to the Lady Gaga fan community that one of their own had passed away. Her alias was CandyWarhol (not to be confused with the Irish drag queen Candy Warhol) merging Andy Warhol with trans superstar Candy Darling into a catchy portmanteau conveying an affinity with the surreal and experimental, a transfeminine identity, and an ardent love of pop artistry.

Even within this fan community, CandyWarhol was known as an artist in her own right. Her passion for music production had been so infectious and palpable that her death was felt across the globe by a diverse group of pop art and Artpop lovers.

The heartfelt forum memorial included a number of artworks CandyWarhol had shared, revealing that she had been not just a talented producer but also a skilled traditional artist. A highlighted Magritte-esque piece shows a cutaway behind a man’s face, revealing the sombre girl trapped inside his head. It’s a beautiful surrealist expression of gender dysphoria displaying a range of talent; from a hyper-realistic depiction of soft beard fuzz and gentle shadows in the shell of an ear, to the doll-like eyes and tiny lips of a fantastic girl forbidden from existing.