Shia Conlon on queer archives

Shia Roan Conlon, an Irish artist and writer based in Helsinki, delves deep into the intersections of memory, language, and queer representation. His evocative work reflects a poignant exploration of marginalized voices and the experience of growing up in the landscape of working-class Catholic Ireland. 

Conlon is staying in New York for a two-month summer residency with the FCINY in partnership with Residency Unlimited. His current research is focused on non-linear time and how to use the power of archives, language, and memory as tools for queer representation. His work is rooted in collaboration and would not exist without his queer and trans community. As a key figure in the Helsinki trans community, he co-founded Trans Library Helsinki and plays a vital role in Almanac Press, a trans-centered mutual aid initiative that embodies the spirit of collective care and creative activism.

We wanted to learn more and hear about his experiences during the residency.

What have you been up to in New York City? 

I've been here to do research on a long-term project related to trans time and our futures/histories. I've been visiting many archives and special collections in the last month and a half. I visited NYU's special collections housed at Fales Library multiple times, visited Lou and the team over at the Center's library/archive space, which is relaunching in October of this year, as well as The Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn. Before I leave, I will also go through the collections at Visual Aids. I've also been visiting old cruising spots to see and photograph what they look like. 

Beyond all the research, I've also just been soaking up all the access that is possible here in NYC; amazing film programming by queer curators (Liz Purchell & Keegan Shepherd at IFC, Adam Baran at Anthology Film Archives, and Henry Hanson at Spectacle); beautiful exhibitions by Avion Pearce, Patrice Helmar and Reynaldo Rivera, and just enjoying being in a place where there is so much energy being generated. It has been very inspiring, and it will probably take a long time to process everything I've experienced here.

Photos from Shia Conlon’s visits to various archives and special collections during his residency.

What drove you to co-found Trans Library Helsinki, and what has been the most rewarding aspect of this project?

Iona Roisin and I decided to do this project together, first as a kind of mobile thing that might pop up in different spaces or even be hosted in our apartments on some nights. We applied to the Finnish Cultural Foundation for some funding and got enough to rent a physical space for one year so we decided to take the leap. From then on, things happened very quickly. We have received donations from people and presses all around the world, and we have many people helping us. We both wanted to create this space because there is such a lack of third spaces in Finland, where you can just gather as a community without the pressure of spending money. 

There are a lot of amazing queer and trans club nights and collectives in Finland that are doing great work, but if you're someone who is low energy and likes to be in bed early, there are almost no places to gather socially, I hope the library can function as that. I'm excited for it to become much more than a library. We also have many plans for film programmes, future residencies, and an archive of trans life/art/being. 

The most rewarding part for me is just being in the space with others. We had two events in the spring and both of them were very busy. People stayed for hours. It was very heartwarming to see and hear how excited people were, and I liked how people already seemed to feel kind of responsible for the space by helping to make the coffee, refill the snacks and clean.

You mention that collaboration is a key aspect of your work. Can you share some experiences or projects where collaboration with your queer and trans community was particularly impactful?

I think all the projects have impacted me in very different ways. One of my earlier projects Queer Portraits  was kind of formative in a way. I was only living in Finland for a few years and didn't really have a group of queer people around me. I think taking these photos allowed me to get to know new people and figure out what kind of ways others want to or don't want to be seen. My ideas and thoughts on representation have grown so much because of those years of conversations with people around me, and seeing how visibility has actually led to increased violence on queer and trans people (especially femme and especially of people of colour). I'm more cynical about its possibilities. 

I think collaboration, for me, is such a broad term. I don't mean it only in this way where we get together to work, but for me, it's about the actual act of living and dreaming a life with the people around me, as difficult as it can sometimes be. Helping each other survive.

In what ways do you see your work evolving in the future, and are there any new themes or mediums you are excited to explore?

Sometimes I feel immobilised by the weight of the violent history of photography and the power that the camera as a tool holds. In the past, those fears have led me to try to take up less space in the role of a photographer. 

I started off in Queer Portraits asking people “How do you want to be seen?” and then we tried to create those images together. What's becoming more interesting to me is to ask myself: what images do I want to make? To take responsibility for those desires, I let myself take up more space and trust my intuition. 

After many years of extensive hyper-focused research on which camera would be the best fit for me, I finally bought a 4X5 field camera recently. I'm very excited about shooting on that. I'm also interested in exploring more experimental printing techniques and returning to the darkroom.

I just wrapped up the installation of a group show The House of Confluence: Bricolage, happening at Governor's Island here in NYC. I'm really excited about the expansion of this work into a larger-scale exhibition. I have so many unseen negatives, archival findings and film footage that I want to show. I'm interested in bringing these forms together to explore ideas around trans (non-linear) time and what we might do with the gaps and voids in our histories.

What awaits you after NYC?

Rest, hopefully.

Follow Shia on Instagram to learn more about his time in New York. You can also find stories from Shia’s takeover at the FCINY Instagram highlights.

All photos featured in this article are courtesy of Shia Conlon

Interview by Sini-Ida Heiskanen

Published: August 29, 2024