tom manzanarez

they/them

tom@tommanzanarez.com

In their transdisciplinary art practice tom manzanarez utilizes the body as a vessel to explore eroticism, critique, and reflexivity. Through time our bodies become containers for stories. They endure constructed representations of our will and reflect the physical evidence of our lived experiences. By capturing the body in multiple forms and environments, their work acts as an archive to reflect on past selves in relation to who they are now and will become. Through modes of performance, research, writing, installation, and photography, their work centers around their positionality as a queer gender non-conforming person and provides them a way to reflect on their experiences. Often in themes criticizing social constructs of gender and sexuality, whitewashing, erasure, heritage reformation and queer love.

Their work has been exhibited at after/time, Lightbox Gallery of Astoria, Frontier Space, Archie Bray Foundation, and the LGBT Center Gallery of Missoula, MT, as well as being published in Numero Magazine. They received their BFA from The University of Montana and their MFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in Portland, OR. During their time at PNCA, they pursued a career in higher education and were also selected for the Community Fellowship for their work in event organizing and fostering inclusivity throughout the institute. Currently they teach at Photographic Center Northwest in Seattle, WA.