I am Jesse J. Gear (He/Him), a queer and transgender artist residing and working in the Montreal area. I hold a BFA in Studio Arts with a concentration in print media from Concordia.
My practice involves printing with the methods of silkscreen and lithography, drawing and photography. Mediums often include the use of pen and ink, watercolors and digital image manipulation. I am particularly interested in the transformation and translation of imagery and drawings through print media such as photo-based lithography and screen printing. I am currently exploring making imagery using obsolete computer equipment.
In a time of late-stage capitalism and rising fascism, I believe that art showcasing my realities, my struggles and my victories as a queer, kinky and transgender person are a way to open minds and challenge cultural assumptions about queerness and kink. My body of work is built around a perspective that is rooted in making subversive queer art; I want to help ease the socio-political repercussions of societally trained-in discomfort and, in turn, help my communities thrive. I work to evoke a sense of compassion and unsettled feelings, while aiming to keep my art accessible and legible to all.
Recurring elements in my practice include my “little guys”, pointy-eared goblin looking anthropomorphized creatures of my creation. They are used as a stand-in for myself and different parts of my mind as well as a figurative way to show abstract concepts. Depictions of kink and gear of all kinds are also prominently featured.