Born: 1991, Indonesia
Profession: Visual artist and photographer
Lives and works in: Jakarta, Indonesia
Tyo struggled with gender dysphoria from an early age. Through this visual story, I look at her memories from her high school days, a key period in her life, when one of the teachers called her Trova for the first time. The archives record all Trova’s worries and troubles, and therefore are not just a visual record of the past. There has been a lot of dark history in Tyo’s life that has to do with her family. Thus, her acceptance of Trova also represents her attempt to erase the story of the loss of family and to build her own meaning of family, love and hope. Tyo is Trova today, with pride. Using cyanotype, which I combine with embroidery and beads, I examine the concept of masculinity, which she once considered an obstacle. However, as she matures, she cultivates both her masculine and feminine sides, and comes to terms with her identity as a Trova. For her, the authenticity of Trova is like a blossoming bud. So he honors his victory and reclaims his body, soul and future. Queer people in Indonesia still suffer various forms of repression and violence, as any form of self-transformation is still considered a violation of social norms. Heteronormative values are a priority in this country, so LGBTQ people often have no one to offer them a safe environment in which to live, develop and be who they are.
