Children of Changó

Children of Changó* With this series of portraits, I want to capture and celebrate queerness as the subversion of accepted standards of masculinity, with all the vulnerability and honesty that entails challenging the “society norm”. *Changó (Shangó) is the owner of fire, but he is also the patron of music, drumming, and dancing. He represents male beauty and virility, passion and power. In a way, it's surprising that such a powerful masculine Orichá is syncretized with a female saint, but there are underlying similarities between their stories. He's syncretized with Santa Barbara because she's portrayed in Catholic lore as a fiercely independent and brave young woman, dressed usually in a red and white costume, holding a sword and wearing a crown like Changó. Santa Bárbara's association with Changó shows that females and males alike can wield Changó's power.