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Henrietta Bollinger is a nonbinary person with short hair. They are lying in bed with white linen and smiles at the camera cheekily.

Image description

Henrietta Bollinger is a nonbinary person with short hair. They are lying in bed with white linen and smiles at the camera cheekily.

Definition: An intimate visual poem with Henrietta Bollinger

We asked artist Henrietta Bollinger to create a new poem in response to our kaupapa Deepen*. Their new work Definition explores intimacy, desire, immediacy and pride. 

  • Pelenakeke Brown and videographer Julie Zhu travelled down to Whanganui-a tara to transform Henrietta’s words into a stand alone video work. The intention was to invite the audience to experience Henrietta’s words and delve into a world of queer, disabled intimacy. This work is part of our Deepen* series exploring queerness and disability during Pride month. This is our first visual work, keep an eye out for our second work with poet Ruby Solly. 

Definition: An intimate visual poem with Henrietta Bollinger

  • Video description: Soft romantic music plays. We see Henrietta a nonbinary, white person, with short dark hair and soulful eyes as they lay in bed. State of undress. Air of comfort as they look out. We see them in their wheelchair. Henrietta touching another person as they each trace their tattoos. One tattoo has a drawing of a cup and reads ‘crip time.’ They unbutton and undress each other. Smiling, laughing and intimate. They stare into each other's eyes. Images of Henrietta's house and a sign reads 'Disabled People for Black Lives Matter' next to a poster of a march with signs ‘love is love.’ Henrietta and Emma are in bed, touching hair, looking into each other's eyes. Henrietta is alone in the bed, it feels as if Emma has just got out of the bed and Herietta is looking out to her, before they smile and laugh.

Image description: A hand is bent over a wheelchair arm rest. A person is seated in the wheelchair and wears a blue shirt.

  • Etta Poem Image Included In Article
  • Definition: An intimate visual poem with Henrietta Bollinger
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  • Definition

    My body -
    spine curving me over 
    curling me inward like a frond 

    a contrast to your bodies’ steady lines: 
     back 
    neck

    Tonight,  I am in awe as I watch you move 
    with ease I could  find ordinary
    with ease unfamiliar to me 

    I slip sideways while reaching  for metaphors of pride 
    and find shoulders pulled back 
    and heads held high 

    Words from a world 
    that cannot decide if I am 
    more than this body or less

    I weigh the skill of sitting upright 
    against  

      indecision
    that is not mine 
    that I have not invited in

    You kiss me honestly
     tonight - tonight - tonight  with no other promise 

    another day friends raise fists together as  we ask this world 
    to name us, to know us by our own definition

    Tonight my  asymmetry can settle comfortably
    into the  pauses, the breaths  between thoughts 
    and rest there

Image description: Henrietta touching another person's back with their hand.

  • Etta Poem Another Image To Include On Website
  • Creative team

    Words: Henrietta Bollinger
    Featuring: Henrietta Bollinger and Emma Katene
    Producer/Curator: Pelenakeke Brown 
    Camera/Edit: Julie Zhu
    Soundie: Lachlan Crane
    Project Coordinator: Beth Awatere
    Support workers: Elsie Bollinger and Jas Brooks
    Made possible with support from The D*List and Auckland Pride 

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