The tranny is for us a symbol of the contemporary world’s ultimate goddesses: demolition goddesses attempting to reconstruct their bodies in order to reach an often failed ideal. Goddesses of hyper-femininity, goddesses of imperfection, goddesses of faith in change, goddesses of demolition and destruction and reconstruction, a burst of sexual, body and identity freedom – the ultimate symbol of transformation and questioning of the status quo for avaf. Our Cyclops Trannies series feature representations of otherworldly creatures with over emphasized features; super heroine/comics-like characters with larger than life breasts and penises, monumental lips and glittering eyes mixed with rococo getups and exploding figures that are yet full of humor and tenderness. The artists wanted to explore the usual discomfort with the trans image and attach absurdity and amusement to such a taboo imagery.

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About assume vivid astro focus

assume vivid astro focus was founded by Eli Sudbrack (b. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1968) in 2001. Sudbrack began working with Christophe Hamaide Pierson (b. Paris, 1973) in 2005 as a duo that often morphs into a collective, depending on the different projects they are involved in. avaf works in a vast array of media, including painting, drawing, installations, video, sculpture, neons, wallpaper, decals, and often confronts gender, politics, and embedded cultural codes through pop imagery and neon colors. the duo brings a passionate collaborative spirit to every aspect of their work—from conceiving projects in tandem, to employing an extensive range of references and materials, to executing large-scale installations with expert, animated, diversely talented teams. avaf approaches every project with a combination of all-encompassing, unbridled vision and keen pragmatism.

Personal expression and a lust for life are prominently emphasized in projects that are simultaneously rooted in politics of free speech, civil rights, classifications of class, gender and national identity. Infused by pop culture and political references, avaf is influenced by multiple sources and visual traits from art, culture, politics, sociology, fashion and music, creating stunning and visually explosive mash-ups of transformed and re-contextualized references. avaf operates with a hedonistic spirit, and engages in frequent collaborations with musicians, designers, dancers and other artists, challenging conventional assumptions about authorship and the role of the artist’s persona in society and the contemporary art world with their core beliefs as foundation: “share, generosity, contaminate, be contaminated, devour, be devoured, travel and spread”.

avaf has also been the subject of major exhibitions and public art projects around the world. These include Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati (2015); The Faena Art Center, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2014); Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), North Miami (2013); The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway (2009); São Paulo Bienal, São Paulo, Brazil (2008); Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York (2008); Museum of Contemporary Art (MOT), Tokyo, Japan (2007); 1st Athens Biennale, Athens, Greece (2007); The Geffen Contemporary (MoCA), Los Angeles (2005); The Whitney Biennial, New York (2004); among others.