From September 2023 to September 2024, Denys Shantar worked on his project “God Save the Queers – The (not so) Secret Life of Saints”. The project evolved after he realized that his original idea of finding queer saints wasn’t aligned with his intentions. He found it problematic to impose post-mortem sexuality on saints, who are already being used by the church for their own agenda. Instead, he focused on reclaiming the saints by giving them back their humanity, removing them from the divine, and addressing the ambivalence of his own identity.
Shantar's research book became a tool to archive and categorize saints, which he used to explore themes of ambiguity and identity. This led to the creation of works like the large-scale pieces depicting saint couples, symbolizing aspects of his personal life. He also created an in situ work called “The Chapel of the Beloved Disciple,” which reimagined a chapel and reflects the queer relationship between Saint John the Evangelist and Jesus. The work explored religious spaces outside the church context. His project culminated in this final piece, tying together the exploration of saints, identity, and a space for reflection and healing.
Moving forward, Shantar aims to evolve his practice by incorporating sculptural elements, costumes, and performative aspects inspired by religious traditions. The project, now titled “God Save the Queer(s),” represents this ongoing journey of self-discovery and healing.
(image: Courtesy of Les Fetes de la Saint-Martin and Ger Spendel)
