Queer Spire

This project consists of two parts: the video work Fight Club and the installation Queer Spire. Conceptualized and produced by Hugo Wang and Momo Mao, the project draws inspiration from Fight Club and explores the inherent duality of “fight,” including its associations with violence and opposition as well as its meanings of courage, resistance, and communication. Our objective is to visually represent the struggles and resilience of the queer community under enduring societal pressures, highlighting their pursuit of freedom, equality, and dignity. The 1969 Stonewall Riots, a landmark event in LGBTQ+ history, served as a core inspiration for our creative vision. Representing the community’s awakening from systemic oppression, our work seeks to convey this powerful spirit of resistance and self-identification.

As the centerpiece of the project, the art installation Queer Spire deconstructs and reassembles the traditional form of a boxing ring, transforming it into a spire symbolizing the queer community. The installation’s steel structure represents the resilience and solidarity of queer individuals, while its outer fabric covering, reminiscent of a condom, evokes themes of protection and shelter. Projections of slogans and imagery onto the spire express the tensions between the queer community and mainstream society, reflecting both rejection and resistance.

We also adopt an aggressive aesthetic. By integrating confrontational visual elements, we aim to challenge the audience and compel society to face marginalized voices. Although some feedback described the work as too aggressive or risky, we believe this confrontational expression is essential. Our ultimate goal is to transform the concepts of violence and resistance into a visual narrative of the queer community’s pursuit of peace and inclusion, guiding the audience’s emotions from anger to hope.